Lost parrot stumps cricket club

The parrot has blue, yellow and red feathers under its wings

The RSPCA is looking for the owner of a bright green parrot which gatecrashed a County Durham barbecue.

It happened at Shotley Bridge Cricket Club on Sunday, when the male eclectus parrot wandered on to the pitch.

The bird has blue, yellow and red feathers on the underside of its wings, and a silver ring on its leg.

Catherine Slevin, from Consett, who took the bird to an RSPCA centre, said the parrot allowed itself to be stroked and kept saying "hello".

She said: "I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it wandering across the cricket pitch. It was such an unusual sight.

"My husband Lee and I took it home to protect it and were amazed at how friendly it was. It allowed friends and family to stroke it and kept saying 'hello' to us.

"I just hope its owner comes forward as it's a really friendly bird and deserves a happy home."

RSPCA officer Debbie Cliff said: "This is a beautiful, friendly parrot and it would be lovely to reunite him with his owners.

"If anyone has any information about who he may belong to we would urge them to come forward. The sooner we get him back to his owner the better."