Bonnet holds tweety surprise for mechanic

In a reflex action, the beaks of three baby birds gaped open wide for food!

They were sitting in a beautifully-crafted nest, tucked neatly into a corner of the vehicle's engine compartment.

For Nim and boss Andrew Smith at Smith and Humphrey's Garage in Sidley this was a new situation.

For the vehicle's owner, Pauline Sayers, it meant a swift change of plan.

All thoughts of MoT and service had to be put aside.

Driving as carefully as she could without disturbing the brood, Pauline set off back home - all the way to Staplecross, where she was sure Mother Blackbird was waiting in some distress and wondering where her family had gone.

"I used the van on Saturday. I went to St Leonards and back. I had used it two weeks previously for the same journey.

"I washed the van off and polished it this morning in preparation for the MoT and still had no idea the nest was in there.

"The MoT will have to be aborted now. I have to take this lot back home before they starve."

One last look under the bonnet to check that all was well before the journey produced the same "Feed us!" gaping-beak response.

To have brought each twig to build her nest, the mother bird would have had to have flown under the Trafic and up past the engine block and its accessories.

Isn't Nature wonderful?