A PAIR of baby tawny owls that survived wind, rain and an attack by a ferocious crow, have helped mark a special occasion for a North Yorkshire haven for injured birds of prey, reports Ruth Lythe.

The two little balls of fluff have become the 999th and 1,000th birds to have been brought to High Bentham's Corio Raptor Centre.

This summer, the centre, which is run by husband and wife team Nick and Anji Henderson, celebrates its tenth year of helping rehabilitate injured and neglected birds.

The chicks, thought to be between ten days and two weeks old, were found by a concerned passer-by on a Staveley road. It is believed they had been blown out of their nest by the wind and were being attacked by a crow.

The birds are fed meals of chick or rabbit around four times a day and are expected to remain at the centre until June or July when they will have developed their full plumage and can be released into the wild.

See May 25 Westmorland Gazette for story in full.