Firefighters were called out last night to rescue a bird . . . from a tree.

Billy the cockatiel escaped from his house in Orchard Close, Southwick, when his cage fell over and the door swung open.

He spent three hours in the 20ft tall tree, refusing to budge, before worried owner Rhonda Shepherd called the RSPCA.

He was expected to fly away but turned chicken and was only too happy to be rescued by a fire crew from Shoreham.

Firefighters put a ladder against the tree and when an RSPCA inspector tried to nab the bird with a net he hopped straight into the hands of Sub Officer David Hyde.

Mr Hyde said: "It came walking over to me and I grabbed it. It was a friendly little chap and looked like it had got to the stage when it wanted to be rescued. It had a bite at my finger, though.

"The RSPCA said they usually fly away. I think it just liked me."

Billy hopped straight back into his cage and was not injured.

Mrs Shepherd said: "We've had him since he was 12 weeks old and he's named after my brother who died last year, so there was no way I was going to lose him."

Billy was reunited with her daughters Sydney, three, and Becky, 15, and husband Lee.

Mrs Shepherd said: "When he came down we gave him a nip of wine to steady his nerves and he was fine."