AN EAGLE owl living in the skies and trees of Wotton-under-Edge has hit the national news – which has caused a stir in the town.

The Eurasian eagle owl, frequently spotted around the area of Synwell, in Wotton-under-Edge, has been affectionately named Mr Wise by local people.

A gaff in the Daily Mail version of the story which was released in print today sees the bird mistakenly referred to as Synwell.

The origins of Synwell’s eagle owl go back to early 2014, when sightings of the bird, one of Europe’s largest owls, began.

The popularity of the bird prompted the creation of a Facebook page, entitled Synwell’s Eagle Owl, dedicated to sightings and conversation about the town’s feathered friend.

Some however, as was a major focus of national reports, aren’t too keen on having Mr Wise in their neighbourhood. Several incidents in which the bird has swooped down at residents have come to light, including one in which Sue Dunn, 70, broke her arm while trying to avoid it. 

So while many were delighted with the owl taking residence in the area, others were less so.

Many, however, now feel that reporting on the owl has taken an overwhelmingly negative approach.

Their fear is that widespread knowledge of the bird will cause an influx of visitors, with the possible result of harm inflicted upon the animal. 

One local resident, posting in the Facebook group, said: “It seems to date the only person with any serious injury is the woman who shone a torch at him and then tripped over in her haste to get away from him.”

He continues: “Due to the recent spate of headlines we may have gone past the stage of approaching this in a reasonable way.

“Some people have chosen to leak the information to The Sun and Daily Mail - the result is a story that is inaccurate and may be alarming to some people in this area.

“We are likely to get a spate of people coming to Wotton just to try and see the owl. We have had bird watchers do this here in the past, and I assume that was in a way which respects the owl. Let's hope the Sun and Daily Mail readers can be as respectful.” 

An RSPB expert told the Gazette that the bird would have come from captivity, as they are not indigenous to the UK.

He said that the bird was highly unlikely to pose any threat to people unless it was protecting its young - which, due to its apparent loneliness in the area, is close to impossible.

The expert also added that mating season was approaching - but pointed out that Mr Wise would need some luck finding an eagle owl mate in the same area.

Though not thought to pose a threat, it is advised not to call the owl due to its sheer size and strength.