Bird of prey lucky to be alive after being hit by car

Just a few months ago she was in a bad way after being hit by a car near Whitchurch.

She suffered severe head injuries, and vets feared she wouldn't survive.

But this week, Skye was brought back to Shropshire and released into the wild near to where the accident happened.

And staff at the Owl Experience Rescue Centre, in Haughton, near Newport, were glad – and sad – to see her go.

Centre owner Andrew Campbell said nursing her back to health had been a lengthy process – but worth it.

He said: "Skye was hit by a car about five months ago and she had severe head trauma injuries.

"A member of the public found her and we went out to pick her up.

"We rescue injured owls and other birds of prey."

Five-year-old Skye was treated by a vet for her head injuries.

Volunteers at the centre had to constantly watch over the owl, feeding her small amounts of food with tweezers.

She was fed mice, rats and chicks.

Mr Campbell added: "We had to feed her with tweezers because we couldn't feed her with our hands.

"If we did that then she would have become used to human contact and we didn't want her getting too tame.

"That isn't good for owls when they are released back into the wild."

Mr Campbell described owls as 'sociable birds' and said they all have their own personalities adding: "Skye is a lovely owl.

"I'll be sad to see her go but glad at the same time.

"She was desperate to get back into the wild."

So far this year the centre has released 11 rescued owls back into the wild.

They also rescue other birds of prey including hawks and buzzards.

Mr Campbell said the newly opened centre would be applying for charitable status later this year.

The centre relies entirely on donations from the public.

A team from the centre recently climbed Snowdon in Wales and raised £470.