A rare owl was spotted in town yesterday by a member of the public. The large bird, thought to be an Eagle Owl, was perched on top of the multi-storey car park in Islington Street, Swindon.

The Eagle Owl is the largest European owl and is a rarity in this country. It prefers to nest on cliffs, steep banks and in the abandoned nests of other large birds. Despite its extensive range it is becoming increasingly rare.

The large brown owl may have escaped from a bird sanctuary. Anyone spotting the bird should report it to the RSPCA on 0870 5555999.