Peacock 'fell in love with car'

The bird has caused £4,000 worth of damage

Visitors to a Somerset stately home have been warned to keep away from a peacock - after he seriously damaged a luxury car he mistook for a mate.

The amorous bird caused £4,000 damage to an employee's Lexus in the grounds of Sir Benjamin Slade's country manor, Maunsel House, near Bridgwater.

Warning signs have now been put up in the car park.

"It started when he fell in love with a Lexus, which was in a very distinct peacock blue," said Sir Benjamin.

"He attacked the panels so hard that the car needs a total respray. The insurers are not very happy about it.

"They've had claims for all sorts of things like lions biting people, but never have they heard of a peacock sexually attacking a car before," he added.

Sir Benjamin has offered to give away his 13th Century ancestral home to anyone distantly related to him.