The Daily Echo is the toast of the avian world after the editor paid out to replace birds in a popular town attraction that was attacked by vandals.

Neal Butterworth responded to the crisis by shelling out for some new feathered friends for the remaining residents of the council aviary at Bournemouth Lower Gardens.

Staff at the newspaper were shocked to hear how budgies and love birds had been slammed against wire mesh by raiders attempting to steal larger birds.

Kakkarikis, love birds and budgies escaped because some of the mesh was left loose.

Editor Mr Butterworth said: “The birds are an attraction and give pleasure to so many visitors to the gardens.

“Everyone at the Echo has been appalled by this incident and we wanted to do all we could to repair the damage. This seemed the best way of helping.”

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