THE hunt continues for a group of large birds which have been loose for a fortnight in the north Winchester countryside.

Three of the six rhea which broke out of a smallholding in South Wonston are still thought to be at large.

The ostrich-like birds have been known to attack humans, but this group is said by their owners to be afraid of people.

Dog walker Gail Cook spotted a rhea looking "wet and bedraggled" in a corn field near Stoke Charity on Saturday morning.

"It was calm but flapped its wings a couple of times as my Jack Russell got close," she told the Chronicle. "It allowed me to follow it and even ate several pieces of bread I had with me but it wouldn't let me close enough to slip the lead around its neck.

"As it was so calm, after about 20 minutes I left it wandering in the field," she added.

Residents have reported sightings of two birds near King's Somborne, while another was allegedly seen eating peas in a field north of South Wonston on Monday.

The birds' owner, Robert Memory, was unavailable for comment.