A SHOCKED Astley resident rang me to say she had spotted an enormous bird -- the size of a 35lb turkey -- up a tree between North Lane and Princes Avenue on Thursday evening.

Asking for anonimity, for fear of being labelled a bit cuckoo I presume, she said she was looking out of her kitchen window when she saw the bird, which had a small head and large body high up in a tall tree.

Disbelieving, she went out to have a closer look, but it flew off towards Leigh.

Having lived in the USA she's seen eagles, hawks and a variety of huge birds, but nothing like this and wonders if anyone else spotted the thing.

Curious myself I rang Pennington Country Park to see if any giant turkeys had landed overnight, but the best one bird watcher could come up with was that it might be a guinea fowl! Does anyone know better?