When Stan Anderton walked into a Preston pet shop and said: "I've got a parrot in my engine," the staff were expecting a punch line.

But on further inspection, they found a beautiful African Grey nesting among the wires and components of Stan's Ford Escort.

Stan, 60, of Princes Reach, Ashton, said: "I was driving along Blackpool Road when I noticed a large, flying object clipping the vehicles in front, coming towards me.

"Without warning, it disappeared under the front wheel as I was travelling at about 15 or 20 miles per hour.

"I stopped mid road in alarmed curiosity and looked under the bonnet to discover a parrot.

"I was aware of the nearby Preston Pet Centre, having passed it many times.

"So with fellow drivers fuming, I turned and drove the 100 yards back – with my additional passenger – listening out for expected squawks from the moving parts of the hot engine."

The bemused staff went out to the car and tried to dislodge the parrot using a piece of wood, to no avail.

So local man John Makinson, who keeps reptiles, was called to the rescue with his heavy-duty gloves.

Stan said: "It was in a very confined space and we couldn't get our hands in safely."

The bird was finally freed unscathed and John took it home for safe-keeping.

Meanwhile, Jack Varey, of Hesketh Road, Ribbleton, was frantically hunting around his neighbour's gardens for his beloved Coco Pops.

Jack, 45, had been in his garden with the parrot who was unable to fly because its wings had been clipped – or so Jack thought.

He said: "The feathers had been growing back slowly and a big gust of wind came and she took off.

She flew across the garden, going over the street and it looked like she'd landed but she'd gone over the trees and on to Blackpool Road.

I was checking the gardens for her over the 24 hours and expected the worst, thinking a cat had got her."

Co-incidentally, Jack's wife Christine went into the pet centre to put an advert up about the missing parrot and was told the good news.

Jack said: "I've had the parrot for eight years.

"When I got home from work at 4.30pm I broke down.

"With her being clipped, she couldn't get airborne properly and keep in the air, she was very lucky."