IT WAS a case for the flying squad.

And now police hope to have the culprit up before the beak.

Two valuable parrots stolen from a Northwich pet shop shortly before Christmas have been found safe and well.

African grey parrots Polly and Arnie were taken in the early hours of Wednesday, December 8, from the Firthfield Pet Store on Witton Street.

Owner Thelma Edgerton has had the pair - aged 11 and 14 respectively - since they were born, and feared they could be traumatised, especially as Arnie was stolen before, eight years ago, and later sold on in a pub.

But now they have returned to roost. PC Michael Jepson, a Northwich Community Action Team officer, recovered the two parrots from a residential address in Winsford last Tuesday, March 8. A 30-year-old woman arrested at the scene has been helping police with their enquiries. She has been bailed to appear at a police station on April 18.

Thelma, who last week had launched a petition to get the case featured on Crimewatch UK, is delighted.

She said: 'They are squawking and whistling away - Polly is a bit distant when you talk to her, but other than that they don't seem as if they have been away. They seem to have been well treated by whoever took them, though Polly lost a few feathers when she was snatched, though they will grow back.

'The customers are over the moon, everyone is chuffed they are back.'

Thelma said the Parrot Theft Organ-isation had told her parrots are very resilient birds, and that theft of the creatures - which can live up to 80 years - is a fairly common occurrence.

PC Jepson said: 'Arnie certainly has the appropriate name - he said 'I'll be back' and he is.

'The parrots were sorely missed and it was great to be able to reunite them with their rightful owner.'

Thelma, who went to work for her father-in-law Joe Edgerton when he set up the pet store in 1962, is looking forward to working alongside the parrots for many more years to come.