A rare African bird has caused a flutter among the birdwatchers of Britain after being spotted in Isleworth.

A sharp-eyed twitcher reported the exotic orange crested Hoopoe, which has earned its name from its strange call, on Monday in the Hall Road area.

"It's a real breakthrough to have this visitor agreeing to come so far into an urban landscape," said Roger Tomlinson, west London representative of the RSPB.

"People will be quite lucky to see a Hoopoe in their whole lives, although the birds do make their way to France and Spain. You get the odd one on the south coast here, but this must be one of the first ever sightings so far inland."

"We feel that you're going to see many more Hoopoes as the climate changes make their mark, until possibly one day the hoopoe is as common as a blackbird.

"The only problem will be if we see all our garden birds dying out to make room. We believe the black kite, which is also based in tropical parts, could be the next exotic visitor."

Have you seen the Hoopoe? Email lucyproctor@trinitysouth.co.uk or Send us your pics