Who are you looking at? The foul tempered pheasant which is terrorising residents in Newsham As a tale of avian savagery it's starting to have echoes of Alfred Hitchcock's The Birds.
For months, the rural North Yorkshire village of Newsham has been terrorised by a very unpleasant pheasant - and no one has been spared.
Men, women, children, prams, bikes, dogs and even cars have all fallen victim to the psychopathic fowl, which some believe is out to avenge its dead relatives.
Victims have spoken of how the bird hides silently in bushes before leaping out and advancing on its terrified prey.
It has even chased village children after watching them get off the school bus.
There have been attempts to catch the predator but so far to no avail.
Now residents are fighting back in the hope of bringing an end to the menace on their streets.
Sonia Hall was attacked by the pheasant while out for a walk with her two-and-a-half-year- old grandson, Jacob.
The 65-year-old retired hotelier said: 'When we set off for the post office the pheasant was on the other side of the road.
'It walked all the way up the road and I pointed it out to Jacob because it was unusual for it to be following us.
Sonia Hall has spoken of her distress at being targeted by the vicious bird'When we came out the post office and set off back to the house the pheasant darted across the road towards us.
'It started flying low towards my legs and attacked me. It was pecking at me and drew blood.
'Luckily Jacob ran further up the path to safety. It kept pecking me and I was kicking at it to try to make it stop but it wouldn't give up.'
Mrs Hall added: 'It was a horrible experience and shook me up.
'Another day it came at me and I whacked it with my handbag. I carry an umbrella round with me now for protection because I don't want to be made a prisoner in my own home.'
Her son, Charles Hall, 34, who runs the A66 Hotel near the village, said: 'People think it is getting its revenge for some of its family being shot.'
But he added: 'We had no reported sightings yesterday so maybe it's had its comeuppance.'
Bob De'Ath, chairman-of the parish council, has written-to the RSPCA and the RSPB pleading for help.
He added: 'Although it seems humorous, there is a serious concern that this pheasant could injure young children if it goes for their face.
'You can push it away, but it continues going for you.
'It is terrorising the whole village.'
Lindsay Waddell, chairman of the National Gamekeepers Organisation, said the bird was just protecting what it considered to be its home territory.
He added: 'You get a similar thing in a variety of other birds as spring approaches and the breeding season begins.'
Mr Waddell said best way to deal with the bird would be to humanely capture it and relocate it away from the village.
Under siege: The rogue pheasant has been running amok in the village of Newsham, North Yorkshiresource: dailymail
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