A FOURTH bird was born at Salisbury Cathedral over the weekend, becoming the final member of the peregrine family.

In the early hours on Saturday the final peregrine chick emerged from the nest on the cathedral tower, joining its three siblings which arrived earlier in the week.

The first two eggs hatched on April 29, one in the morning and one in the afternoon, and the third was born on Thursday.

The four eggs were laid between March 23 and 30 by an unringed female, and the peregrine team that has been keeping a record of each egg's arrival and timing said the hatching was "bang on time".

Newly hatched peregrines weigh in at about one-and-a-half ounces and double their weight in just over a week.

The new chicks are covered with fluffy white down feather, and it will be at least three weeks before they gain more feathers.

It will be around another five weeks until the birds begin to fly.