A WINCHESTER resident has been reunited with her pet parrot after it escaped when flying for the first time.

The African Grey, Marley, had been in the garden of her family's home in Stanmore, before taking to the sky on February 24.

Owner Alison Batchelor, of Cromwell Road, was left "dumbstruck" when her bird took off, explaining that she had "never flown before".

She said: "We were out the back on Sunday afternoon, and just as I was about to go back inside at around 1.30pm with Marley, she flew off. That was the first time she's been able to do it and I didn't know what to do."

Alison, who bought the parrot as a hatchling in 2017, told the Chronicle that she saw Marley later in the day, but accidentally frightened her away.

She said: "I was driving around looking for her for the rest of the day, and I saw a group of people huddled around a wall. They were looking at Marley, who was just perched there. But, stupidly, I let the excitement get the better of me and beeped my horn.

"She flew off again and I broke down in tears. I couldn't help thinking that I'd never see my parrot again."

After posting several missing statements to social media platforms, she received a message from Suzy Willmott at around 8am on February 26, claiming that Marley was in a tree near St Catherine's Hill.

Alison said she 'shot straight there' and used a banana to lure Marley down, adding: "It was such a relief. I'd not been sleeping right and I was so happy that, luckily, I'd got my parrot back. She's absolutely knackered now and hasn't stopped sleeping."

Marley has already developed a number of vocal talents.

She can whistle the theme tune to Star Wars and has been trained to tell the family dog, Holly, to 'get down' when she jumps up.

Her owner also explained that Marley mimics her, and said that she often exclaims "woah, shark!" after hearing Alison shout the same when watching a documentary.