Postie terrorised by pheasant

Former rugby player Del Thomas said he dreads run-ins with Fiery Fred

A west Wales village postie is being terrorised by an unpleasant pheasant who lies in wait for him at a postbox every morning.

Del Thomas says he dreads collecting the mail at Moylegrove, near Cardigan, as the bird, dubbed Fiery Fred, is usually ready to pounce.

In the latest incident he was pecked on the hand as he emptied the box full of Christmas mail.

Mr Thomas believes Fred has taken a dislike to his red coloured van.

He is getting more fierce and nasty by the day Del Thomas

"He seems to know exactly when I will be arriving to empty the mailbox and is lying in wait for me," said the 62-year-old postman.

The first couple of times he just puffed up his feathers but then he decided to have a go and pecked me again and again on the back of the hand.

"Luckily he didn't break the skin otherwise I would have had to have medical treatment.

"He has taken a dislike to me for some reason - he is getting more fierce and nasty by the day.

"I've had all sorts of dogs snarling and barking at me over the years but none of them compare to Fred - he's a real menace."

Fred was reared on a nearby farm but escaped and now lives wild in woodland near the village green.

A spokeswoman for the Post Office said: "We've had all types of animals attacking our posties over the years but it isn't often a postman is terrorised by a bird."