A much-loved parrot is enjoying a rest after returning home following a 50-hour taste of freedom.

Sky, an 18-month-old blue and yellow macaw, escaped from Bell Farm Lane, Minster, at around 11am on Tuesday.

Owner Chris Crickmore had popped outside to feed her rabbits and somehow the parrot managed to open the side door of its cage and fly out of an open backdoor.

After a fraught night driving around the area calling for her pet, Mrs Crickmore was made alert of a sighting in nearby Eastchurch Road at about 10.30am yesterday.

She headed there and spotted Sky at the top of a tree on land backing onto the Kingsborough Manor estate.

She was joined by volunteers from Whitstable-based Bird Line Parrot Rescue, who'd seen the 70-year-old's appeals on Facebook.

After an hour, the creature was still in place despite moving around the branches and calling out several times.

But then a crew from Sheppey Fire Station happened upon the scene on their way back from an assignment.

They were flagged down and despite animal rescues not being part of their duties, they stopped to help.

Firefighters used an extendable pole to tap the branches near Sky in the hope it would fly down to its cage in the field opposite.

However, the feathered creature took off, firstly in the direction of Eastchurch and then back again and around the Minster water tower a number of times.

It then disappeared out of view, leaving a devastated Mrs Crickmore and volunteers wondering what to do next.

Just then the departing fire crew received a message saying Sky had been spotted up another tree in Plough Lane, Minster - close to its home.

Everybody drove the short distance and the brightly-coloured bird was soon spotted but even higher up this tree than the previous one.

A neighbour put Sky's food-laden cage on the top of his Transit van after parking it close by.

When this failed, Mrs Crickmore's second parrot - 30-year-old African Grey, Charlie - was brought out in its cage in the hope Sky would fly down to see its feather friend.

However, the bird would not be shifted from its high perch until around 3pm when it flew off again.

Mrs Crickmore managed to track it to a nearby garden but as it began to get dark, it flew off once more.

Admitting defeat for the day, the widow returned home to keep checking social media for further sightings.

At 6am today, she set off again driving around hoping to hear the familiar squawk of her pet.

Then at 9am, she was messaged on Facebook to be told Sky had been spotted up another tree in the nearby Ashcroft holiday park.

She arrived and spent "another bloody two hours" shouting up at the creature in the hope it would come down.

Cold and fed-up, she and her neighbour Wendy decided to go and sit in the car for a while, at which point Sky took to the skies again.

She said: "I just couldn't believe it, it was starting to become not very funny at all."

However, while she was driving around the park, she heard Sky calling again and found her in a conifer tree.

At this point, two workmen got involved and used a container of fruit and nuts to coax the animal down.

Mrs Crickmore added: "She really responded to one of the men's voice and climbed down before jumping onto his arm."

And with that, he carried Sky to his owner's car and she was driven the short distance back home.

Speaking this afternoon, a tired but delighted Mrs Crickmore said: "I just couldn't be happier that she is back with me, I am so relieved.

"I can't thank enough all the people who tried to help - Michelle Chantler, of Bird Line Parrot Rescue, the fire brigade and everyone on Facebook.

"I have put lots of padlocks on Sky's cage now, trust me, she's never getting out again."