A FAMILY has been miraculously reunited with their beloved pet parrot Hoogie after he disappeared for more than a week. Paul Hine, his partner Laura McMenemy and their four children, of Hopkins Crescent, Sandridge, had been searching high and low for thei

A FAMILY has been miraculously reunited with their beloved pet parrot Hoogie after he disappeared for more than a week.

Paul Hine, his partner Laura McMenemy and their four children, of Hopkins Crescent, Sandridge, had been searching high and low for their beloved bird.

A call from the police on Saturday of a reported sighting sent them hurtling over to Welwyn Garden City where Hoogie had been spotted in a wood.

Laura, a social worker, said: "Unfortunately, he had gone by the time we got there but I met a woman walking there who told me he had landed on the shoulder of her friend who brought him home with her."

Laura rushed to the woman's house - coincidentally across the road from her mother Maureen McMenemy's home in Oakdale, Welwyn Garden City.

She said: "They had him in their rabbit hutch and I just picked him up and hugged him. We've all been distraught to lose him and he looked so relieved and happy to be back home. He's lost weight and is still a bit quiet and traumatised. We normally let him fly around the house but he just wants to stay in his cage."

When he first went missing on October 10, Paul, 44, said: "I am perplexed by just how much we all miss him. Hoogie is a corruption of hooligan because he is like a naughty teenager. But he is a focal point for all the family and we are desperate to get him back.

"He's only eight months old so all he does is wolfwhistle as he's too young to talk."

Luckily, Hoogie was back in time to celebrate their son Joe's 14th birthday on Sunday which made his day even more special.

n Elvis impersonator Vince Citrano is still hunting for his missing parrot Lulu, as reported in last week's Herts Advertiser. Call 07774 778071 with any sightings.