Feather in Herald’s cap after reader returns missing bantam, Cheep Cheep, to eight-year-old Tabby

THE Midweek Herald is “the best newspaper in the world” says Emma Young – after our appeal to find her daughter’s missing pet chicken turned up trumps.

We reported last week how eight-year-old Uplyme schoolgirl Tabby was left heartbroken when strangers took baby bantam Cheep Cheep away from the garden of her Rousdon home.

A couple, who stopped to admire the chicks, while the family were out, were mistakenly given the bird by a well intentioned neighbour, who thought they had come to collect her.

Cheep Cheep was Tabby’s special favourite because she was lucky to survive, having been abandoned in her broken shell. She was nursed back to life by Mrs Young and eventually hatched on a hot water bottle in the kitchen.

So there were tears of dismay when the family came home to find their favourite gold laced frizzle feathered Polish bantam had disappeared.

But within hours of The Herald publishing an appeal for her safe return the couple who took the bird contacted Mrs Young and offered to give her back.

Said Mrs Young: “A lovely lady called Annie popped around after reading the article, to tell us that she was the lady that our neighbour Lindsey had given Cheep Cheep to, and that we could have it back!

“I am taking her sister Big Bird down and we are going to swap. Tabby is so excited and happy.

“Thank you very much for your help - The Midweek Herald is the best local paper in the world!”