2-foot-tall escaped owl captured on school playground

Feb. 7 (UPI) -- A large escaped owl spotted near a British elementary school was captured on the playground by a student's father.

The European eagle owl was spotted in the garden of a care home in Sleaford, England, Friday morning before making its way to the nearby William Alvey Elementary School.

Mark Bett, the father of a child who attends the school, was contacted by school officials Friday because he was known to have experience with birds of prey.

Bett, a falconer who used to run a rescue center and hospital for birds of prey in South Africa, was able to capture the 2-foot-tall owl.

"The bird was flying around with the swivels and leather jessies hanging off its legs and could have got caught and tangled and hung upside down until it eventually died," Bett told the Sleaford Standard.

Bett said he is keeping the owl in an enclosure while trying to find out where it came from

Ruskington resident Rob Louth, who runs Reptile Life animal experiences and Animals UK supplies, said the owl might be the same one that escaped from a friend several months ago.