TWITCHERS from all over the South of England descended on a Sussex riverbank yesterday to catch a glimpse of a rare falcon.

The Cuckmere River near Seaford became a haven for birdwatchers when the rare Eastern European falcon dropped in.

Dozens of twitchers, many of whom had heard about the black-feathered visitor on a special birdwatchers' hotline, grabbed their binoculars and headed for the tranquil spot.

At one point more than 50 scrambled for a better view of the kestrel-like bird, with its distinctive red feet.

The bird of prey, which feeds on mice and large insects, is usually seen only in Eastern European countries such as Hungary.

But in Spring some birds are either blown off course or migrate too far and end up in parts of the world where they are not normally seen.

Hove fireman Dave Sadler, 45, of the Paddocks, Lancing, was among the crowds studying Falcon yesterday.

He said: "It is exciting. It's always nice to see something different."

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