A FREE range bird has created a headache for supermarket bosses.
The soaraway starling has taken over the canteen of the Tesco superstore in Gorton, forcing staff to cover up food and drink and stop serving some dishes.
Workers are powerless to trap or chase out the creature - because they need a licence from the government.
The bird - nicknamed Alfie - has been comfortably roosting in the mezzanine canteen of the Hyde Road premises for the last four weeks, where it has fed on crumbs and scraps left by diners.
Staff have been forced to adapt to their unwelcome guest and are covering up all unwrapped foods and prepare meals in a separate kitchen area.
The black and white-speckled birds are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is illegal to remove them from a home or premises without receiving a licence from the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs.
A store official said they risked prosecution if they at tempted to move the animal from the 80-seat canteen without special permission.
Duty manager Bernie Hassall said: "We've tried catching him but he likes the store so much he doesn't want to leave.
"Some people have suggested we should apply for a licence to kill him, but we'd far prefer to catch and release him. In the meantime we've made sure there's no risk to food or customers."
But customers say the mischievous visitor seemed to be enjoying its new home.
One customer said: "I went into the cafe and the woman told me that they weren't serving hot breakfasts. At that moment, a bird flew down and literally picked up a piece of toast from the next table.
"It was as bold as you like. Not at all frightened that there were customers around."
The inquisitive creatures - which feed on insects and fruit - are notorious for nesting in lofts and manmade spaces.
They have been listed as protected in the UK after their numbers declined by 65pc in the last 30 years.
An RSPB spokesman said: "Starlings are very inquisitive birds. They are used to living with people. The people in the supermarket aren't posing any threat to it, so it's probably be come quite bold."
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"A store official said they risked prosecution if they at tempted to move the animal from the 80-seat canteen without special permission.
Duty manager Bernie Hassall said: "We've tried catching him but he likes the store so much he doesn't want to leave. "
So what your saying is you HAVE tried to break the law?
Great to get the non-story of the day over and done with so early.
A nice, "cheep" advert for Tesco then?
Now the world has gone mad
Give your restaurant customers E Coli - get prosecuted under Environmental Health Regulations
Try to remove - not kill or destroy the source - just remove it, get prosecuted under the Wildlife and Countryside Act
Barmy Britain couldn't be better demonstrated!
They can borrow my cat.He loves starlings.
Waiter Waiter!, there's a worm in my soup!
If it nicked my toast they wouldn't need a license !!
It must be looking for the Tesco Value Trill!
I certainly wont be eating there until it has been caught.
I worked in a large Tesco 25 years ago and we always had problems with birds. The manager used to pay a chap to come in and shoot them at night when the store was shut. But the staff were still in there stocking shelves.
WOW! A bird in a restaurant. What an interesting story! They should do one about all the bloody pigeons in the Arndale centre! YOU HEAR THAT MEN!? BREAKING NEWS! SOMETIMES ANIMALS GET INTO PLACES AND IT BECOMES A CONVERSATION PIECE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS!
They had the same exact problem at the Sainsbury's on Regent Road a couple of years ago. Before i went on holiday, i noticed that a Starling had gotten into the store and was flying around in the DVD and books department. When i got back from holiday, the damn thing was still there! And the DVD section is only about 10 feet from the deli counter!
When i asked the manager why they hadn't removed the bird, with a wry grimace he told me told the same as above; they couldn't even touch the creature due to the Wildlife and Countryside Act. So they were waiting for a licence from DEFRA...and waiting....and waiting...