A parrot was coaxed down from a tree thanks to the efforts of firefighters – and a mashed-up banana.

Franco the blue and gold-winged macaw got into a spot of bother when he escaped from a car in Penshurst on Saturday.

After sitting in a tree near Penshurst Primary School for nearly two days, his distraught owner asked for the help of firefighters and the RSPCA.

A 90-minute rescue mission to help the beleaguered bird was mounted this morning, with crews using their ladder – and some serious coaxing – to try to return the feathered friend to the ground.

Tunbridge Wells green watch manager, Bob Gardner, a firefighter for 24 years, said it was his first parrot rescue.

“In 24 years I’ve helped birds, cats and children stuck up trees, but never a parrot,” he said.

“We were called by the RSPCA as the bird had been stranded in the tree for a good few days.

“We used a ladder to try and get to him, but just as we got near he became spooked and flew off to an even more isolated tree nearby.

“After that we decided to use our chimney rods to try to move him back again, but it was the RSPCA inspector, his ladder and a banana that eventually saved the day.

“It was a happy ending following a great team effort – the owner was absolutely delighted to be reunited with the bird.”

In the end RSPCA collections officer Anthony Pulfer got the three-year-old pet down from his lofty perch by using a ladder to force him to move.

Franco then decided that a tasty banana was a better bet than the tree and flew down to take full advantage of the snack.