South Yorkshire Times, May 16th, 1970

Home for a Kestrel

A kestrel which had been dropped exhausted near Genefax Monolithics Works at Deepcar on Friday was befriended by an employee, Mr. Jim Andrews (30), refractory installer, who lives with his wife and three young children at 23 Barnsley Road, Wath.

Mr. Andrews said a little hawk had hovered around the plant for three days and it was seen perched on a post outside the works on Friday. it was obviously exhausted but nobody dare go to it. He eventually took the bird inside a building and with a piece of string tired round a leg, it was fastened to a fitting. Mr. Andrews went to a shop and bought half a pound of meat which the bird devoured. He also gave it a drink.

Some four hours later Mr. Andrews found a marked improvement in the bird’s condition and it was alert and fluttering its wide wing expanse. On each leg the bird had a small bell and leather strapping and it appeared to have been cared for and had probably broken loose and got lost.

Mr. Andrews said “it is exactly the same as the bird in the film “Kes” and in fact it could well be that kestrel” (this is the new film with Barnsley associations).

He added that he would be taking the bird and caring for it until it was really fit and strong.   The owner could have it back if it was claimed, but otherwise he would give it a chance to fly away if it wished.

That is what he did with an owl which fellow employee Mr. Albert Wright of Stocksbridge had given him. “That owl still comes back and visits us occasionally at home,” he said.