Kestrel is nursed back to health (From Darlington and Stockton Times)

Kestrel is nursed back to health

12:28pm Thursday 2nd October 2008

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AN injured kestrel found near the North York Moors Railway has been nursed back to health and returned to the wild.

Railway staff found the injured bird near the trackside at Grosmont two weeks ago.

Peter Allin, control manager at Grosmont Station, spotted the kestrel as he changed a set of points.

The bird, with its distinctive pointed wings, was hopping about and was clearly unable to fly.

It managed to reach the undergrowth in an effort to take cover but was clearly in distress.

Returning to his office Mr Allin told colleague Mike Mitchell about the injured kestrel.

Mr Allin said: "The bird was just sitting in the centre of the track.

"I had to persuade it to move away and along off the track as there was a train coming towards us.

"It went into the undergrowth and despite the train passing within nine feet it didn’t fly away.

"I went and told Mike and he went and picked it up and we put it in a cardboard box and rang the police.

"It looked hungry and bedraggled and it could have flown into the electrical cables that are along there and been stunned."

North Yorkshire Police put them in touch with Jean Thorpe, from Norton, Malton, who runs a centre to rehabilitate wildlife.

With her help the injured bird of prey, thought to be around three-years-old, was restored to health.

Mr Allin and Mr Mitchell were both present when the kestrel was returned to the wild.

Mr Allin said: "We could find nothing obviously wrong with the bird and when it flew away it was fantastic.

"We don’t find birds like this often and it was brilliant to see it fly away."

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