Wimbledon’s pigeon-scaring hawk stolen

The bird was taken, along with his cage, from a car parked in a private drive in Wimbledon with the rear window open for ventilation.

Rufus, a four-and-a-half-year-old hawk, is environmentally friendly because he scares off pigeons, which can distract players, purely by his presence.

His distressed owners are appealing for help in getting the bird of prey back so he can resume his role of turning the world's most prestigious tennis tournament into a pigeon-free zone.