Another animal invasion in Oxfordshire this week saw children scatter from a West Oxford play area yesterday after a stork chose the site for an unexpected landing.

The huge bird bore down on Oatlands Road Recreation Ground at about 3pm on Wednesday and stood calmly in the middle of the site for about 20 minutes.

Father Rob McNeil, a lifelong animal lover, said it had been "astonishing" as storks are only very rarely sighted in the UK.

The 43-year-old said: "I used to work for various conservation organisations so I was so excited. I ran out thinking my wife and daughter were playing a trick on me.

"There were loads of kids running about but it was extremely un-bothered about me getting close to take a photograph."

The creature appeared to be wearing a tag, meaning it did belong to someone and had probably escaped.

Daughter Amelie, nine, said: "Someone made the stupid comment that when they are tagged they're vicious, so everyone was terrified and running about.
"It was about waist height. I was a bit daunted because it was looking at everyone."

Cotswold Wildlife Park spokeswoman Debbie Ryan confirmed yesterday (21/7) that no stork was currently missing from the premises and staff had heard "not a dickie bird" about the incident, but suggested it might have been carrying babies for the John Radcliffe Hospital.