Tower's ravens are kept indoors

The raven master said they do not like to keep the birds inside

The Tower of London has decided to keep its famous ravens indoors to protect them from bird flu.

Special aviaries have been created for the six birds within one of the towers of the fortress on the Thames.

Legend has it the Tower of London will collapse and the kingdom will fall if all the ravens leave.

The Tower ravens - named Branwen, Hugine, Munin, Gwyllum, Thor and Baldrick - are said to be getting used to their new surroundings.

The Tower's Yeoman raven master, Derrick Coyle, said: "Although we don't like having to bring the Tower ravens inside, we believe it is the safest thing to do for their own protection, given the speed that the virus is moving across Europe.

"We are taking advice on the vaccinations against avian flu, and in the meantime, we will continue to give our six ravens as much care and attention as they need."

EU farm ministers are meeting in Brussels to discuss the spread of the virus, which has now reached France.

UK ministers said it was still not necessary to lock up Britain's 20m free-range poultry, despite some experts backing it.