A BIRD of prey rarely seen in the wild in Britain for thousands of years has been spotted on the banks of the River Hamble.

Martin Lush was in the garden of his Warsash home when he came across the huge eagle owl sitting on top of his greenhouse, less than ten feet from where he was standing.

The animal remained where it was for hours before taking to wing and disappearing into the night.

According to records, the birds have not been natural residents in the UK for thousands of years.

Mr Lush, 60, of Newtown Road, said he was shocked but also delighted that the bird had chosen his greenhouse on which to rest.

He said: "It was over two foot tall and just sat there without a care in the world while I ran and got a book to identify it. We had people come round to have a look at it and it sat there the whole time.

"It had no tags or markings to indicate that it was a captive bird and was being mobbed by smaller birds trying to chase it away. It had lovely plumage and bright red eyes, it was great to see."

The eagle owl is the largest owl in Europe.

Lynda Bridges, of Liberty's Bird of Prey and Reptile Centre in Ringwood, said: "They are so powerful that each talon can crush up to 150 pounds. I think this area would be ideal for eagle owls because of all the rabbits and lack of natural predators."

Adrian Thomas, of the RSPB, said the last authentic record of an eagle owl living in the UK naturally was during the Ice Age.

He added: "It is the kind of bird that until about a decade ago was found in the most far-flung parts of Europe.

"People have been trying to keep them and we have records of up to 50 escaping from captivity in the UK. This could be one of them."