SOUTHEND High Street was bought to a standstill as hundreds of shoppers watched fire crews rescue a trapped pigeon.

The bird got trapped in netting above the empty Barratts shoe shop opposite Marks and Spencer yesterday afternoon.

Police closed off Clarence Street for about 20 minutes as fire crews used the aerial ladder platform to free the bird. They placed it in a box, and handed it to RSPCA animal welfare officer Tina Nash.

She said: “This sort of thing does happen quite a lot.

“I would like to thank the fire brigade for their help rescuing this bird.”

The bird was still tangled in some of the netting as she took it away to be checked over.

Essex Fire and Rescue spokeswoman Sarah Thapa said on average, the service rescues four animals a week, from pigeons and ducks, right up to larger animals such as cows and horses and even a seal.

She said: “As well as protecting people, we look out for the county’s animal population too and according to a recent poll, that’s what the public wants.

“The ongoing poll on our website shows nearly 70 per cent believe rescuing animals is proper use of fire service resources.

“We rescued more than 450 animals in the past two years including 39 birds.”