Bird lover George Heales was overjoyed when his pet budgie Tosh returned home last week - five days after flying out the back door.

Retired bank manager Mr Heales, 89, says he has no idea where his feathered friend went after escaping from his home in Blackmore.

And he is astonished that the bird managed to survive in the wild and find his way back home after being away for so long.

Although only a young bird, Tosh is already a good talker with an "unbelievable repertoire" of sayings, said Mr Heales, who keeps an aviary in his garden. He said: "I was willing to give anything to get him back. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw him again in my garden. Goodness knows where he'd been or what he'd eaten."

With the aid of a friend, Mr Heales managed to get Tosh back to the safety and comfort of his cage, where he is now chattering away as normal.

"He's a proper mate," he continued. "He's only a young bird and he's just beginning to talk. He sits on my shoulder and talks in my ear and the things he can say already are unbelievable.

He says: ''Georgie Porgie pudding and pie, kissed the girls and made them cry, merry Christmas everybody, do you want me talk to you?'

''He's out of this world. I've had birds all my life but he is special. You get so used to him talking to you, he's like a human being.''

A bird in the hand: George Heales, reunited with his budgie Tosh after he went missing for five days.

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