Vulture swoops on football match

Football players ran for cover when an escaped vulture swooped on to the pitch.

Bert had escaped from a zoo in Bedfordshire.

He swooped for the ball in Eaton Bray, where the Old Dunstablians reserves were playing a practice match.

Some footballers fled to the changing rooms and others cowered in their cars.

Club chairman Simon Bullard, who was refereeing the game, told a British tabloid: "This ruddy great bird started going for the ball. There was pandemonium."

Manager Adrian Yule said: "It frightened the life out of me. Everyone was diving out of the way."

Keepers from Whipsnade Wildlife Park recaptured the African white-backed vulture, who has a 7ft wingspan.

A Whipsnade spokesman said: "He is trained to respond to a keeper's whistle and must have heard the referee blow.

"The footballers were wearing the same coloured shirts as our keepers, so he landed."

Mr Bullard added: "Bert may become our mascot. He was better than some of our players. At least he showed some aggression."