Romeo has been reunited with his owners after flying into a greengrocer's in search of fruit.

Escaped parrot found tucking into stolen watermelon

An escaped parrot has been returned to his owners after brazenly stealing fruit from a local greengrocer.

After escaping from the Tilgate Nature Park in Crawley last week, Romeo, a red lory, took a detour into the fruit and veg shop and promptly began tucking into a slice of watermelon.

To the shock and delight of customers at the Taj Grocer on Haslett Avenue, the colourful escapee then proceeded further into the shop.

“I first noticed him because he is such a bright colour and I’d never seen a bird like it before," says Naveen Kumar from the greengrocer.

“He started flying around the shop though so that is when I thought I should call the RSPCA to come and catch him.

“Everybody in the shop really liked him and lots of our customers were filming him and taking pictures.”

Romeo was recaptured by RSPCA inspector Andrew Kirby and taken to the charity's animal centre in Patcham, near Brighton. He has since been reunited with the team at Tilgate Nature Park.

Mr Kirby said: “He seemed to take a shine to all the fruit at the shop, but I think he must have been quite tired. Although he was only a few miles from where he escaped, that is quite a long way for a bird not used to flying such distances."

Image courtesy of the RSPCA.