Nice to Emu

He's Bexhill's newest celebrity and at just three weeks old Osborne the Emu will make his first public appearance.

On Sunday he will be special guest at the Freezeland Farm open day to raise funds for the RSPCA.

Osborne will be there to meet and greet from 11-12midday and perform various celebrity duties such as posing for photographs.

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"It's his first PA," said owner Gillian Stone , who lives in Cooden Drive.

"He won't be worried in the slightest - he adores attention and nothing phases him at all. We took him to the vet the other day and there was a camera crew there, the nurses and vet - not a problem. He loves it."

Osborne is the baby bird which achieved national fame following the Observer's report on how Gillian and partner Robert Schifreen saved him from ending up as breakfast.

The couple visited an open farm while on holiday in the Isle of Wight. They bought three Emu eggs on sale in the farm shop, alongside other goodies to eat, and decided on returning home to incubate them instead.

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To their amazement some 50 days later one hatched, and Osborne became a surprise addition to their ever-growing brood of birds and animals.

He became unwell after a few days and was off his food so Gillian and Robert thought they might lose him but kept up the TLC, mealworms and poultry food, and Osborne recovered to his "normal bouncy self".

He was kept safe and warm in a cage with a rabbit from Barby Keel's rescue centre but has since been moved in with a little bantam cockerel called Charlie who is keeping him company and showing him the ropes of the bird world.

His story has caused a nationwide media frenzy - Gillian was first approached by BBC south east news and then BBC Breakfast news followed up with their own report, followed by writeups in most of the national papers including the Guardian, Times and Independent, and even achieving international interest when the story was covered by the Mumbai Mirror.

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Osborne is just one of the attractions at the Freezeland Farm open day run by Margaret Van Draat - there is a baby llama, birds in the aviary, stalls and refreshment. The event is from 11.00-4pm and will cost 2.50 for adults and 50p for children.