An inmate at Sutton police station took the expression “doing bird” a little too literally last week.

A canary, pictured, flew in through the bars of a locked external cage exercise area of the Carshalton Road station, and was spotted wandering the corridors at about 4pm on Sunday, February 15.

A spokesman for Sutton police said that having come into the caged area, the bird made its way through a door that had been left open.

It was found by a cleaner.

Officers provided the bird, which had some difficulty flying, with its own cell and gave it water and nuts.

At 9.30pm, one of the custody staff took the bird home with a view to re-homing it at a relative’s aviary.

Custody assistant, Nick Kelly said: “We assume he flew in through the open exercise cage door from the police station yard and couldn’t find his way out.

“We are used to welcoming some colourful characters in custody, but this one was a bit different.”

It is thought the bird may have come from one of the flats at the rear of the police station yard.

If anyone believes this bird belongs to them please contact Sutton police station on 101.