Macaw reunion sealed with a kiss

This was the moment when a Telford man was reunited with his beloved parrot after a 16-hour double-rescue which left both of them stranded up the same tree.

Peter Dawson watched as his brightly coloured macaw, Banjo, flew away and perched high up in an oak tree at Wrekin College in Wellington at 6pm yesterday.

After trying to coax her down for nearly four hours, Peter decided he would have to use a ladder to climb up to her. But after he got seven metres up the tree, his ladder fell and left him stranded.

Peter’s fiancee, Magdalena Roubova, was unable to lift the ladder so the couple called 999.

The 39-year-old plumbing engineer was brought to safety by firefighters within 30 minutes but his parrot, which he says is his “pride and joy”, remained up in the tree.

But despite spending all night up there Banjo was safely back in her cage at home in Arleston this afternoon.

Peter was forced to hire a cherry picker and was offered the services of licensed operator Mitch Randle. Mr Randle did not charge Peter for his time.

Peter said: “I’d tried everything to get her down but she’s such a big bird and she was so scared her grip was stronger than it usually is.

“I am so glad it had a happy ending. I would like to thank everyone involved, including the fire service for getting me down last night.”

He added: “I’m so happy. Banjo is now at home and it’s like nothing has happened to her. She’s singing and back to her old self.”I’m ecstatic about the happy ending and the help everyone so generously provided.

“I paid £120 for the cherry picker which is a small price to pay had I lost my Banjo for ever but the man from Randle Building Solutions operated it for free.

“He very kindly donated his services and lost money to save Banjo, as he had other jobs booked for today.”

Mr Dawson said he had had Banjo for five years. She enjoyed daily exercise sessions at Wrekin College but had never caused such trouble before.