TWITCHERS in Beaufort were all in a flap on Friday after finding a Manx Shearwater bird way out of it's depth.

A couple found the sea bird, which is very rarely found inland, in their garden looking exhausted so they took it to the Festival Park Owl Sanctuary.

Malcolm Jones, who runs the sanctuary, was unsure of the bird's identity at first.

He said: "I did think it could be a Manx Shearwater, but I wasn't sure.

"I've never seen one before and the last time one was found in the area was back in the 1980s.

"I went round to see the craftsman next door - he's as bird mad as I am.

"We looked through some books and decided it was a Manx Shearwater."

Mr Jones said that the word got round very quickly about their special guest and local twitchers flocked to see it.

But it was only a flying visit - it is dangerous for a Manx Shearwater to be away from the water so Mr Jones was anxious for the bird to be released back to sea.

He contacted the RSPB who picked the bird up later that evening and released it in Porthcawl.