A FAMILY are appealing for help after their beloved African Grey parrot flew away.

The juvenile bird, named Twinkle-Toes, left the family home in Ridout Close, Wallisdown, at around 9.30am this morning.

He is owned by Emma Shirkhani, who bought him for her three-year-old son Martin who is autistic and struggles to bond with people.

"It has been amazing ever since the bird came along, Martin is speaking to him all the time and his speech has come on brilliantly," she said.

"He has only been with us for about a month. I think the wind must have caught him when he went out of the window.

"I have been knocking on doors around the area, hopefully someone will spot him in their garden."

Twinkle-Toes is grey with a red tail and around 30cm in length from head to tail. He is still being weaned and needs medication with his food due to a recent illness. He whistles but is still too young to talk.

Contact Ms Shirkhani on 07731752500 with any information. They are offering a reward for his safe return.