A PIGEON trapped in netting on top of a Bournemouth restaurant sparked a major rescue operation.

Fire crews from Springbourne and Westbourne were involved in the rescue of the pigeon from the top of the former Post Office building in the town centre at lunchtime today.

A hydraulic crane was used to raise RSPCA Inspector Jo Story and two firefighters to the top of the building to rescue the stuck bird, and retrieve another which had died.

The rescue left many passers-by bemused. Lisa Grove said: “It’s surprising to see such a huge operation for a pigeon. It’s nice but it does surprise me.”

But Jo said: “From the RSPCA’s point of view, a life is a life. Whether it’s a pigeon or a kestrel, we’re not going to leave it to suffer.”