Walter Le Page has been turning heads at the island’s model yacht pond for over a year after turning up almost every day – including Christmas Day – to feed the birds.
And this week the 76-year-old, who has become a well-known figure at the pond, has described how his life now revolves around ensuring the birds don’t go hungry.
‘I get so much enjoyment out of it. I have been going every day, Monday to Saturday. In winter they come into my car and have never made a mess, if you know what I mean,’ he said.
The pensioner added that, being a Christian, the only day he doesn’t go to the pond is Sunday. ‘At one time animals and birds didn’t come into my thoughts but now they are like my family. That is why I’m called the Bird Man,’ he said.
But Mr Le Page added that there have been tragedies. ‘Sometimes it is hard for me when I find some of them have been killed by cars. There was one that always used to come and sit on my steering wheel to eat out of a glass jar. This April I found it dead and had to put it in the bin.’
Giant £500m liner visits Guernsey for first time
BRITAIN’S biggest cruise ship – P&O’s Britannia – visited Guernsey waters for the first time this week.
The giant £500 million ship, which carries up to 4,372 passengers and 1,400 crew members, stopped off at the island last Sunday and is due to return four more times this summer.
During its stay, 3,000 passengers went ashore, and delegates from the island boarded the ship to meet its captain and crew.
The vessel’s captain, David Pembridge, said that the island was an attractive destination for liners.
‘It is a convenient place to stop, being a nice distance from Southampton. There is the opportunity for Guernsey… to show off the island to the many people who come and visit who, once they have seen what the island has to offer, may want to come back for a visit in the future.’
The Britannia has 15 passenger decks, 13 restaurants and bars, four swimming pools and nine entertainment venues.
It also has a 94-metre Union Jack on its bow.
Burning cars no banger
WHEN his car suddenly burst into flames, Guernseyman Michael Kirk was expecting an explosion, just like in the movies.
The 33-year-old had just parked his Ford Fiesta on the road and was relaxing in his garden when a neighbour yelled that there was a fire.
He rushed outside to find his car, which he had bought six months ago, on fire, with smoke pouring from the windows.
‘It happened so quickly. I was expecting an explosion, but the firefighters said it was not like in the Hollywood films,’ said Mr Kirk.
The blaze, which is believed to have been caused by a faulty radio, destroyed the car and cracked a window on his house and left his front door warped. A nearby hedge was also singed.
Mr Kirk said he was now looking for a new car.
Alderney arts fest extended
ALDERNEY’S third Performing Arts Festival was extended by one day this week after performers faced delays of up to 19 hours in getting to the island because of thick fog. The festival included more than 30 performances and workshops in everything from samba drumming to stilt-walking and fado singing. Musician Robert Hunter said: ‘Sark has got a festival, Guernsey has a lot going on, so it is about time that Alderney has something too.’
Welsh terror
A PUB drinker head-butted a man and then kicked him while he was on the ground, before telling police: ‘He started it, but I finished it.’ Gavin Jones, from Glamorgan, Wales, claimed that he had attacked the man after earlier asking for directions to a nightclub – only for the local to make comments about him not being from Guernsey, the island’s Magistrate’s Court heard. Jones pleaded guilty to assault and possessing the class C drug piperazine and was jailed for three months.
Wreath stolen
