Pensioner treated in hospital after hawk attack

An elderly man had to be treated in hospital after a hawk drew blood when it swooped on him.

Jim Hewitt, 75, from Flamstead, Hertfordshire said he was walking to the shop to get some milk and felt a "smack" on the back of the head.

Villagers have spoken of several attacks by the bird of prey in recent weeks, with Royal Mail deliveries also hindered.

Flamstead Parish Council said it was very aware of the severity of the situation and humane trapping efforts would continue in two secure locations in the village.

Mr Hewitt said "it was a shock at first and then I realised what had happened", as he saw the bird fly off with his hat in its feet.

"There was so much blood as I am on double blood thinners," he said.

Neighbour Lizzy Atkinson said she found Jim "covered in blood" and that the hawk was preparing to swoop on him again.

She took him home in her car but within five minutes she said he was back at her house as he was bleeding heavily and "looked like he had been in a knife attack".

She said she bandaged him up and then he went to the GP and then to the hospital.

Mr Hewitt said "God forbid it happens to a child" as it "could scar it for life" and "could easily take a child's eye out".

Ms Atkinson said there were reports of about 50 men being attacked by the hawk and the situation was getting "really very, very dangerous now".

"A gentleman came into the pub the last week and he said he had been attacked five times," she said.

"If this was a dog that had bitten and drawn blood this many times then it would not be in the village anymore."

She said people were scared to go out, or take their dogs for a walk and children were scared to play in their back gardens.

She questioned "why are we waiting for it to cause even more damage?"

Flamstead Parish Council reminded residents not to feed the hawk and said a highly experienced falconer would be assisted by an expert raptor trapper from the British Trust of Ornithology to deal with the bird.

It added that specialist equipment will be used that has not been available previously.

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