Singing birds tip off police (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Singing birds tip off police

EIGHT stolen cockatiels were recovered by Salisbury police last week after a member of the public heard the birds whistling the Laurel & Hardy theme tune.

Police found the birds, together with a stolen cage, after someone telephoned them anonymously, saying they had heard the birds whistling the tune in the Bishopdown Farm area of the city.

The call followed a police appeal for information about the birds - which they said at the time were able to whistle the Laurel & Hardy tune - in the Journal and on local radio.

After the birds were reunited with their grateful owner, a police spokesman said: "The owner has asked for his thanks to be passed on to the media for their part in the recovery."

The police spokesman confirmed that a 33-year-old man and a 27-year-old woman had been arrested on suspicion of the theft.