A WHITBY woman was in for a nasty shock when she glanced into the garden one afternoon last week.

Because a bird of prey was just making a meal out of an old feathered friend.

The resident, who doesn't wish to be named, said: 'I looked outside and saw this big, power-ful-looking bird sitting on the lawn.'

She added: 'It had just killed and eaten another bird and I can only assume from the colour of the feathers that it was a wood pigeon - the same one that has been coming into our garden for some time and that we had come to look upon almost as a friend.

'The killer appeared to be a sparrowhawk. It stood about a foot tall and had thick, feathered legs.

'The episode was very upsetting and made me feel a bit sick. What made it worse was that the only thing we had in for tea that night was chicken.'

* If you've seen the sparrowhawk contact the Pioneer on 0151 356 2345, or e-mail: pioneer@ cheshirenews.co.uk.