After weekend in Grimsby's Asda superstore, sparrowhawk finally flies free

                                             

But I don't eat noodles - the sparrowhawk was unimpressed by the food on offer

 A SPARROWHAWK that spent the whole of last weekend in Grimsby's Asda superstore is now back in the wild.

The bird eluded attempts by a charity, Cleethorpes Wildlife Rescue, to capture it with a net attached to a five-metre reach-and-rescue pole.

As it grew hungrier and weaker, concerns for its welfare grew.

To everyone's relief, it eventually found its way out of the store through a fire escape door that staff temporarily opened.

It is a mystery how the bird flew into the store, apparently unnoticed, last Friday, but chances are that it was in pursuit of prey - possibly a collared dove, feral pigeon or smaller bird.

The raptor had proved an unusual attraction, not just for shoppers but also for birders curious about the phenomenon. 

What a beautiful bird - shoppers pause to admire the hawk

                                

The raptor is thought to have flown in through open doors while in pursuit of a smaller bird