Seven firefighters and an RSPCA inspector were called to rescue the young carrion crow from a tree in Clinton Road after his claw became entangled in some string.

But vets who have been caring for him at the specialist Tiggywinkles hospital in Aylesbury said they will release him in the Buckinghamshire countryside rather than bring him back to Northampton.

Les Stocker, founder of Tiggywinkles, said: "One of his legs is a bit dicky as it got a bit stretched. He's probably got something like a groin strain.

• Don't miss Monday's super Chronicle & Echo for all the news, views and sport from Northamptonshire - including your free 12-page Sport pull-out

"He's having physiotherapy from us but we've decided not to take him back to the tree in Northampton. For one thing, his parents probably wouldn't recognise him and they'd probably beat him up.

"But crows are quite intelligent so they don't need to go back to where they were born."

Tiggywinkles believe Clinton got caught in the string as he was "just learning the ropes" in terms of flying skills.

The RSPCA said he had been hanging upside down for up to three days before a Clinton Road resident spotted him.

He was diagnosed with shock, dehydration and exhaustion when he was examined after his hour-long rescue.

Clinton will be released in about a month's time.