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A lovesick Wirral peacock called Sampson finally has his happy ending – with a new girlfriend named Delilah.

Sampson and his vibrant plumes have become one of the star attractions at Little Al’s Urban Farm in Eastham since it opened in March 2016.

But after a few happy months together, his first mate Mary became ill and passed away – leaving Sampson devastated.

Owner Colin Griffiths and his family adopted a new peahen, Betty, but said Sampson was heartbroken after she was eaten by a fox.

They are hoping it will now be third time lucky for the unlucky in love peacock.

Mr Griffiths said: “Sampson was devastated when Mary passed away. He was so unhappy we took it upon ourselves to find him a new mate.

“We adopted Betty. She was a beautiful peahen, white with iridescent colouring around her neck. Sampson was smitten.

“However, we didn’t realise that her previous owner had clipped her wings to prevent her flying off, which meant that a fox made her his dinner a few days later.

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

“Once again Sampson was heartbroken. Over the next couple of months he was a nightmare, terrorising the chickens and ducks and being very bad-tempered.

“At our wit’s end, we even considered trying to rehome Sampson.”

At the start of this month, the family received several calls saying their peacock had been spotted all over Eastham.

Mr Griffiths said: “We knew Sampson was at the farm and so assumed it was a pheasant or something similar.

“On August 18 we received a call informing us ‘’Sampson’’ was in a lady’s garden not far from the farm. We decided to take a look. Lo and behold, it was a peahen!

(Image: Liverpool Echo)

“From the phone calls we had received, she had clearly been making her way to the farm. However, she would have had to cross several very dangerous roads, including the A41.”

After a chase taking two hours, the wandering peahen was taken safely to the farm.

She has joined the rest of the family at the farm, including goats Milly and Maisie, sheep Elsa and Arna, pigs Pinky and Perky and miniature Shetland ponies Archie and Mouse.

And Mr Griffiths said Sampson and his new mate – named Delilah after the biblical figure who loved Samson – are now blissfully happy together.

He added: “Sampson and Delilah are now very happy.

“We still have no clue where Delilah came from as nobody in the area breeds or keeps peacocks, but we are very grateful we found her. And so is Sampson!”