A PICTURE of a gyrfalcon which appeared in last Tuesday's edition of the Whitby Gazette has sparked a town-wide bird hunt.
The bird was snapped up at Whitby Abbey by professional photographer Mark Harrison last Saturday.
It now transpires the bird is missing from a family in Masham in North Yorkshire and there is a reward on offer for anyone who can help it to be retu
rned.
It belongs to Mark and Sara Robb and was brought up and trained by friend Sophie Abbott who has come to Whitby to look for it.
"It escaped from Stokesley a few weeks ago and we didn't know where it had gone until we came across the picture of it in front of Whitby Abbey," she said.
"It is a very tame bird that is no danger to anyone as it is used to being around people and would probably land on someone's hand if they were wearing the right type of glove.
"We noticed from the pictures that it has some blue ribbon around its feet which it didn't have when it escaped so we are not sure whether someone has tried to catch it already.
"We have come to Whitby in the hope we can find it as it is likely it has stayed in the area."
There is a £200 reward on offer for anyone who has any information leading to the bird being safely returned.
"It is like a part of the family and Mark and Sara just want to see it returned safely."
Anyone who spots the bird can call Mark and Sara on 07951 113591 or (01642) 714418.
