Hawk's reign of terror finally over after being caught by villager

A hawk that had been terrorising residents in a Hertfordshire village for weeks has finally been captured.

The bird of prey is believed to have attacked at least 50 people since taking up residence in Flamstead in early March.

The aptly-named Steve Harris, 40, said the Harris’s hawk had stalked him while he was out on his run, before he finally managed to throw a cage over the bird when it landed in his garden.

“It was following me for a mile, hopping along all the telegraph poles,” he told the PA news agency. “It came into the garden, and I was holding the cage above my head.

“Eventually, it sat in the shed, squawking at me.”

Footage of the aftermath of the capture was obtained by 5 News.

Mr Harris said he had previously tried to lure the bird into the cage with some chicken, but without success.

The physiotherapist said the clash with his namesake bird had become personal after it attacked him twice.

“It got me a couple of times. Once it even brushed my hair,” he said.

He had resorted to wearing a bike helmet while running to protect himself.

“It feels strange, a bit of a relief,” Mr Harris added. “We all just wanted to get it caught. It’s nice that it’s well and hasn’t been injured.”

Wayne Housden was hired by Hertfordshire Police to try and capture the hawk, which will now be sent to a specialised aviary for retraining.

“It’ll be flown,” he told Channel 5 News. “It’s not going to be locked away in a cage.”

Falconer Alan Greenhalgh, who was also on the scene, said the hawk is in “mint condition.”

“He’s as fit as anything, as fat as anything.”

Flamstead Parish Council thanked Mr Harris for his “quick-thinking”, which saw the bird “trapped quickly and safely”.

The hawk had wreaked havoc on Flamstead, with tall men in the Home Counties village being especially targeted by the dive-bombing bird.

ITV News filmed with resident Jim Hewitt as he made his way to the shop on Tuesday morning, but before there was a chance to warn him, the bird attacked.

ITV News was filming with Jim Hewitt as he made his way to the shop on Tuesday morning, but before there was a chance to warn him, the bird swooped. Jim gave ITV News permission to show the damage done to his head.

After the Harris’s hawk’s capture, Mr Hewitt said he was relieved the situation had not escalated.

“I’m delighted we are not going to be invaded,” he told PA.

“I had to be careful and cautious. The sensible thing was to drive to the shop, but I won’t get beaten by a poxy bird.

“I’m relieved that it’s been caught and not had to be put to death or shot – and I’m even more relieved that a child isn’t going to get hurt.

“It was hanging around by the school, and my biggest fear was that someone would walk out and get set upon.”

Despite the rogue hawk’s barrage of attacks, residents had a soft spot for the bird, starting a petition to save the hawk after it was thought the council was considering putting it down.