A vet has carried out an extraordinary operation to save one of Britain's rarest birds of prey.

But unless a way can be found to fly the young falcon 3,500 miles out to Africa it still faces death because it has missed its annual migration to a warmer climate.

The male hobby was found with a badly broken wing, bruising and breathing problems. It would normally have been put to sleep because, unable to fly, it would starve to death in the wild.

But veterinary surgeon Peter van Dereijk, of The Ark Surgery in Colchester, decided to carry out an operation to save the bird.

Mr van Dereijk said today: "An X-ray showed that the bird had suffered a fracture to the main bone in its wing.

"It was a challenge, but the operation seems to have been a success."

The bird was sedated during the 45-minute operation, which involved using two pins across the wing, one 12 centimetres long, and some wire.

It was able to stand and take food within a couple of hours and is now recovering at the Thorrington wildlife sanctuary Wildlives.

Sanctuary owner Rosie Catford has had to get a special licence from the Department of the Environment to enable her to keep the bird in captivity.

Once it is fit it must be released into the wild as it is a protected species, with only an estimated 100 breeding pairs left in Britain.

"We expect the bird to make a full recovery," said Mrs Catford.

"But he will miss the natural migration, so we are desperate to find a way of getting him out to Central Africa.

"Perhaps an airline which flies to Africa would be willing to take him over."

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