Residents in the city of Kent are keeping their small pets indoors and have covered fish ponds after reports that a bald eagle escaped from a local bird of prey sanctuary.

The eagle named, Helga escaped during a show at Groombridge Place near Royal Tunbridge Wells in the city. The bird is described as very large bird and people have been advised not to approach or try to feed her.

The bird is seven feet long and her wingspan is larger than the heights of most humans. Helga had gone missing about ten years ago and then she was found 30 miles away in Croydon.The bald eagleis not found in the wild in the UK.Helgahas eaten rabbit once earlier but the owner said that it was a onetime incidence and she did that because she had myxomatosis and was almost starving.

Bald eagles usually feed on fish and carrion and they can hunt and prey on small animals. Mr Eddie Hare, who runs The Raptor Centre with his wife Veronica and is the owner of the bird, said, "They eat fish but like all birds of prey they're opportunists. They will eat anything that's going - they will eat worms if they have to."