Tawny owl rescued from stove pipe by chimney sweep

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 8 Oct, 15:55 · Archive

A chimney sweep freed a tawny owl trapped in a stove pipe at a house in Angus.

A tawny owl was rescued after becoming trapped inside a stove at a house in Noranside, Angus. The homeowners heard noises coming from the back of the appliance and discovered a 'big pair of eyes' looking back at them when they investigated. They initially tried to take the stove apart and contacted a vet for advice.

Chimney sweep John Soutar was recommended to help after the homeowners learned he had previously rescued another owl from a chimney. When Soutar arrived, he initially tried to reach the owl through the front of the stove but found the space too tight. He eventually had to pull the stove out from the fireplace and break into the pipe to access the bird.

After about 20 minutes of gentle coaxing, Soutar managed to free the owl. He wrapped it in a towel to clean it off and checked it over before releasing it in the garden of the property. The bird flew away safely. Soutar described the owl as 'a very placid' bird that seemed to know it was being helped.

How it is being reported

• Tawny owl rescued by chimney sweep after plunging headfirst into family's stoveJohn Soutar, 43, came to the rescue after the bird got stuck in a stove - and it's not the first time he's had to save an owl stuck in in chimney.Daily Record · 8 Oct, 15:09
• Tawny owl rescued after getting trapped in stove pipeChimney sweep John Soutar found the bird wedged in a pipe at the back of the appliance.BBC Scotland · 7 Oct, 22:52

In this story: John Soutar · Noranside · Angus

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem