It was a case of Polly gone when the brilliant green bird flew the nest and was found in the gardens of a Hartlepool home.

Now RSPCA officials are searching for the owners of the bird, which was found with no identification on it.

The brilliant green parrot is believed to be an orange-winged Amazon and was found on Monday this week in the back garden of a property in Knightsbridge Gardens. Experts think it has been on the loose for the past nine months but no one knows who the bird belongs to.

Residents in Knightsbridge Gardens contacted the RSPCA, and animal collection officers turned up to collect the bird before taking it to the animal centre in Middlesbrough.

RSPCA animal collection officer Debbie Cliff said: "We have heard of sightings of an orange-winged Amazon in the area for nine months now though this is the first time it has come to ground.

"The parrot is in a very healthy condition but it is not displaying a ring or any other form of identification so we have no way of tracing an owner at this stage.

"If anyone has any information about who it may belong to we would urge them to come forward as soon as possible.

"If anyone believes they own the parrot we would ask them to provide proof of ownership when they get in touch."

Anyone with information about the bird should contact the RSPCA's Great Ayton Animal Centre on 0300 1230743.