Hundreds of twitchers show up at residential estate in Cotswold village after rare bird spotted

Hundreds of bird watchers flocked to a pretty village today to catch a glimpse of a rare bird which has migrated more than 1,000 miles from the Mediterranean.

Bird enthusiasts travelled from as far as Scotland to see a tiny blue rock thrush, which has appeared on a residential estate near Stow-on-the-Wold, Glos.

It is thought to be only the seventh time the bird has been seen in the UK and the first spotting in almost a decade.

The bird, originating from Southern Europe and North East Africa, was seen hopping along the rooftops of the quaint Cotswold cul-de-sac, where more than 200 twitchers have gathered.

Birdwatchers predict up to 1,500 enthusiasts will come to see the navy male bird in Fishers Close before the end of the week.