Couple reunited with missing birds

So far, eight birds have been returned to the aviary, after people spotted them in gardens around Bemerton Heath, and Mr Weymouth has been offered fish to restock his pond.

Marie Jones, who lives in Westwood Road, contacted Mr Weymouth after she saw two canaries feeding on her bird table and realised they were probably his.

She told the Journal: "We made sure they had plenty of food and water.

"On the Sunday, we saw a yellow bird and suspected it might be one of the lost pets.

"On the Monday, another canary joined it.

"Unfortunately, we did not see the second one again but I contacted Mr Weymouth and he came round and confirmed the canary belonged to him.

"He said he had bred it himself and that it was a cross between a yellow and a green canary."

Mr Weymouth, who lives in Maryland Close, was able to capture it the next day and return it to the aviary.

He was then called to another garden in Westwood Road, where a canary had been spotted by a man who had tried to catch it and put it in his own aviary until Mr Weymouth could go and collect it.

Mrs Weymouth said this week that she and her husband had been deeply touched by people's kindness.

She said: "We have had phone calls from people saying how sorry they were to read about our loss and from people who have spotted some of our birds. So far, eight birds have been rescued and returned to us.

"We have had calls from people wanting to help restock our pond with fish.

"People have been brilliant and we are so grateful to everyone who has contacted us."

It was on the morning of Saturday, February 19, that Mr Weymouth discovered someone had got into his garden overnight and had poured washing-up liquid into his pond.

About 20 koi carp, worth more than £1,000, were killed, and between 20 and 30 finches, canaries, waxbills and Java sparrows were allowed to escape.