Hawk that terrorised tall men for weeks captured by villager

A hawk which has been terrorising the male residents of a Hertfordshire village for weeks has been captured by a resident after it stalked him through the village while he was jogging.

- Esther Addley

Dozens of villagers in Flamstead, near Luton, have reported being attacked from behind by the bird, identified as a Harris's hawk, with some being left bleeding and even requiring hospital treatment.

Tall men, in particular, have reported being swooped at and clawed for more than a month, leading many to start wearing hats or even cycling helmets when outside.

Villagers became more concerned, however, after an 11-year-old boy was scratched by the dive-bombing bird this week, while another resident reported it swooping at other children walking home from school.

Steve Harris, 40, said he caught the hawk yesterday after it followed him for a mile during his daily jog, "hopping along the telegraph poles" before landing in his garden.