Who’s a naughty boy then? (From Times Series)

Who’s a naughty boy then?

8:39am Thursday 27th July 2006

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ROSCOE, a Congo African Grey parrot, put his owners in a flap when he suddenly shot off his perch and flew into the distance.

The intelligent parrot is well known in Great Missenden as the chatterbox inside The Barbershop in Station Approach.

Melissa Hayward, 31, his owner and manager of the shop, was devastated when her "best friend" took fright and flew off into the distance after being startled by a loud noise.

She said: "I was really worried as anything could have happened to him".

With the help of her boyfriend Ricky, 24, and her co-worker Amanda Prosser, Melissa began a 27-hour search for the ten-year-old parrot which took them all over the village.

The search for the exotic bird was announced at the Great Missenden fete, prompting a village-wide search by a group of Roscoe fans.

Finally 27 hours later Melissa received a phone call from neighbour Neil Ainslee, who had spotted Roscoe near the Old Town Farm, just two doors down from The Barbershop.

Melissa and her boyfriend raced round to where Roscoe had been sighted and coaxed him down using one of his favourite foods cheese and onion crisps.

The parrot, who frequently asks for cups of tea and is partial to a piece of buttered toast, was unruffled by his escapade.

Melissa said: "I want to thank everyone who was looking for Roscoe."

This was not the first time the African Grey Parrot has made a bid for freedom.

When he was just a baby Roscoe escaped from the flat of his owner Karen Waldron.

Karen, who owns The Barbershop chain, has five parrots in total, all of whom are daytime residents in her hairdressing shops.

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