Amorous peacock is on the rampage, drivers warned

VISITORS to a stately home in Britain have been warned to keep away from an amorous peacock after he caused thousands of pounds’ worth of damage to a car he mistook for a mate.

The bird swooped on the parked, blue Lexus car in the grounds of eccentric aristocrat Benjamin Slade’s country manor Maunsel House, near Bridgwater, Somerset.

The luxury car, an employee’s, was left covered in scratches and dents after the frisky bird’s prolonged attack.

Mr Slade has erected warning signs in the car park alerting drivers of peacock-blue cars of the danger — as he struggles to convince insurers to pay the £4,000 (€5,722) repair bill.

“It started when he fell in love with this Lexus, which was in a very distinct peacock-blue and looked like another peacock boy. He couldn’t control his urges and tried to shag it. He attacked the panels so hard that the car needs a total respray.

“The insurers, Lloyd’s of London, are not very happy about it,” he said.

Mr Slade fears other blue cars could be target-ed on his 1300-acre estate.

The aristocrat previously hit the headlines when he offered to give away his 13th-century ancestral home to anyone distantly related to him, so he could go and live in a “nice” council house.

He has also offered to hire out his “gay” dog Jasper as a “best man” at same-sex weddings at his country estate.

The dog has a trust fund worth £150,000 (€216,484).