Ref. 72625-32 Max Mulcock who spotted the missing parrot, right, with his mother NikkiTILLY the escaped chip-loving parrot is safe, thanks to a six-year-old boy.

Yellow-crowned Amazonian parrot Tilly fled her home in Coleview, Stratton, on Sunday.

Owner Nicola Coleman, 48, had forgotten to clip the wings of the bird, whose hobbies include eating chips, drinking tea and listening to Elton records.

Mrs Coleman, a warehouse worker, said at the time: "We want Tilly back so badly because she is a companion for my husband, who is disabled and is home on his own when I am at work."

And on Wednesday, Max Mulcock saw a parrot in his back garden, in nearby Watermead.

His mum Nikki, 35, said: "When Max told me there was a parrot in the garden, I told him not to be silly but I looked and there the parrot was.

"It was tapping on the window with its beak, wanting to be let into the house, so I obviously realised it was tame."

Nikki called the RSPCA, who said they would send a specialist officer from Bournemouth and suggested that the bird should be captured in the meantime.

Nikki, who owns the Kids Create nursery in Ermin Street, enlisted the help of Kids Create worker Bev Hewitt, an animal lover and they got the parrot into a box.

Max proudly telephoned his dad Neil, to tell him about it.

Nikki said: "A bit later, Neil called back to say that somebody in one of his shops, the Cake Hole in Moredon Road, had read in the Adver about a missing parrot."

Mrs Coleman said she and her husband were delighted and very relieved to have Tilly back.

She said the first thing Tilly did on arriving home was have some tea and a good rest.

Barrie Hudson