PUPILS at a Horwich primary school got into a real flap over their new feather-brained classmate back in 1983.

For Budgie the pigeon had started attending lessons at Holy Family RC School and quickly become the unofficial school pet.

Budgie was rescued by pupils Sarah and Martin Lowe who found him lying injured in the road.

They nursed him back to full health but then came up against a problem - the brainy bird insisted on following Sarah, nine, and Martin, eight, wherever they went - even to school.

Luckily class teacher Derek Birchall saw the funny side of it and let Budgie sit in on lessons.

Budgie was happily settled at the children’s family home on Gloucester Avenue and even though he was allowed out for a couple of hours each day, he would always return home.