New Year Emu

Bexhill's celebrity bird took time out from his hectic showbiz life to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year before settling down to a celebratory feast of Cos lettuce.

Osborne the Emu became national news this year with the story of how he was saved from becoming breakfast.

Bexhill couple Gillian Stone and Robert Shiffreen of Cooden Drive bought the Emu egg from a farm shop while on holiday in the Isle of Wight and were stunned when weeks later the egg hatched. They hand-reared Osborne, now nine months old, and even provided him with a mate - Mallory, who came from a farm in Leicestershire.

Both Emus have thrived and are happy and well, living on a small holding near Catsfield with eleven sheep.

Gillian commented: "It has been unbelievable really that we got so much attention - even worldwide.

"The Emus will be having Cos lettuce this Christmas - they love Cos lettuce, and it is really expensive at the moment. They spit out all the leaves and just eat the ribs. We tried celery and iceberg lettuce but it has to be Cos...they are very spoiled Emus."