An East Ham family are “overjoyed” after the pet parrot they thought was lost was actually found living in parkland by a teenager working nearby.

The Recorder launched an online appeal to help the Sharif family, who had also been leafleting the area, find Munii the African Grey parrot after it flew away from their home in Kensington Avenue on Monday around 11am.

Working in Flanders Field a mile and a half away, Joey Allgood, 16, spotted a grey parrot with a distinctive red tail flying from tree to tree.

Joey, from Wellstead Road, said: “It was flying around in the trees and stuff all day and I put my arm out and it flew onto my arm.

“We fed it and gave it water because it was really hungry and thirsty, all the crows and seagulls had been after it so we looked after it for a bit.”

His colleagues at local project Bonny Downs Community Association told Joey about the leaflet appeal in East Ham station so Joey contacted the family the next morning.

The teenager received a reward of �350 in cash for returning the parrot to safety which he intends to spend in three week’s time when he goes on holiday with his friends in Sweden.