Addy the owl is recovering from a dislocated leg after foiling burglars who stole her from her owner's home - by biting them until they hurled her out the window of their getaway car and crashed.

The three-year-old bird was snatched on July 25 by crook Jason Denton, 23, who sped away in a stolen car.

Police gave chase and the bird began pecking at Denton's face and arms until he lost patience and threw her out of the window.

But the thief and his accomplice had their feathers ruffled so much the car, that had reached speeds of 65mph, then spun out of control and crashed in a car park.

Denton - who was covered in bites and scratches - was arrested and has pleaded guilty to one charge of burglary at Plymouth Magistrates' Court in Devon.

During her ordeal Addy suffered a haemorrhage in her right eye and dislocated her leg which is now in a metal cast supported by pins.

Proud owner Andy Godbeer, a shop porter, 45, of Plymouth, said Denton got "exactly what he deserved".

He said: "This guy must have just grabbed her thinking she was worth something.

"If he had just left her alone they would probably have got away with it."