Peregrine falcon rescued from Cambridgeshire tree-top trauma

A peregrine falcon had to be rescued by the fire service after getting stuck in a tree.

The protected bird of prey had become trapped after getting its leather ankle strap tangled in branches in Hive Road, Witcham, near Ely.

The RSPCA called out Cambridgeshire fire service who used ladders to bring it down safely, later tweeting: "There's a bird, stuck up a tree - surely not?"

The bird was returned to its owner.

An RSPCA spokeswoman said the peregrine falcon was initially taken to the charity's wildlife hospital at East Winch in Norfolk to be assessed, when it was first found earlier this month.

Peregrine falcons are the fastest birds in the world and can reach speeds of 200mph when diving for prey.

A jess is a thin leather ankle strap used to tether the bird and allows a falconer to keep control of the bird while it is on a glove or in training.

There are only about 2,000 in the UK and they are protected by law.