AN animal-loving police officer helped reunite a hawk and its owners after the bird of prey became tangled in a tree at a Bolton beauty spot.

Walkers found the Red Tailed Hawk upside down at Bradshaw Fisheries on Sunday afternoon.

The hawk, called Rocky, had a rope and leather straps known as jessies attached to its feet which had become snarled in a branch.

Park rangers at Jumbles Country Park called police.

Wildlife liaison officer Sergeant Jim Nesbet struggled to reach the bird and a member of the public, who stopped to watch the dramatic events, went home to get a ladder. Sgt Nesbet managed to retrieve Rocky in a 45-minute rescue.

The hungry bird was fed and watered and cared for by police.

The two-year-old captive bird-of-prey, which originates from USA, has now been reunited with owner Steve Glass after escaping from Breightmet last Wednesday.

Sgt Nesbet said: "When I got there, the hawk was hanging upside down. The bird was trying to correct itself but it had become tired and distressed. I tried to climb the tree but I could not reach it, so someone got a ladder.

"I managed to get to the bird but the branch snapped so I was hanging on to the bird and the ladder at one point. But, with the help of walkers, I managed to get down safely with the hawk.

"We do rescue a lot of birds-of-prey although I have never rescued a Red Tail Hawk before. It was quite an unusual rescue though for a Sunday afternoon."

William Upton, a walker from Egerton who witnessed the incident, said: "The bird was panicking a bit and there was quite a crowd."

Mr Glass's partner, Tracy Rickman, said "We were all quite upset when Rocky went missing - we didn't think we would ever see him again. But now everyone is just so happy that Rocky was saved and has come home."