A stork has melted hearts in Croatia by flying to the same rooftop every year for 14 years - to be reunited with its crippled partner.

The faithful bird, called Klepetan, has returned once again to the village of Slavonski Brod in east Croatia after a 5,000 mile migration.

He spends his winters alone in South Africa because his disabled partner Malena cannot fly properly after being shot by a hunter in 1993.

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Faithful: Klepetan the stork flies back to the same rooftop every year - to be reunited with its crippled partner

Every summer, the pair bring up chicks, with Klepetan leading their flying lessons in preparation for the trip south in summer

Klepetan spends his winters alone in South Africa because his disabled partner Malena cannot fly properly after being shot - but makes the 5,000-mile journey home every year

Malena had been found lying by the side the road by schoolteacher Stjepan Vokic, who fixed her wing and kept her in his home for years before helping her to build a nest on his roof.

After placing her there, she was spotted by Klepetan 14 years ago. And now every year they are reunited in the spring.

Klepetan keeps a very strict timetable, usually arriving back at the same time on the same day in March to be welcomed by locals.

But this year he was running six days late, causing panic among local media and fans of the stork couple.

Such is the popularity of the pair that there is even a live feed on the main square in the capital Zagreb showing the two storks.

It is the 14th year in a row that it has flown back to its disabled partner Malena, which cannot fly properly after being shot be a hunter in 1993

Klepetan keeps a very strict timetable, usually arriving back at the same time on the same day in March to be welcomed by locals

Malena had been found lying by the side the road by schoolteacher Stjepan Vokic, who fixed her wing and kept her in his home for years before helping her to build a nest on his roof

There was huge excitement when stork-watchers saw what they thought was Klepetan circling over the nest, and then coming in to land.

But the new arrival turned out to be a different stork that was attempting to woo Malena. She quickly attacked him and drove him off and continued to wait for Klepetan.

Stjepan Vokic, whose roof the couple nest on, said: 'She was pretty clear about the message, I doubt he will be back again.'

Vokic has taken care of Malena since she was first injured by hunters and says that she - like her partner - is now part of the family.

During the winter, Vokic keeps her inside the house, and then lets her go to the roof each spring where she patiently waits for her partner.

Heart-warming: Klepetan has returned once again to the village of Slavonski Brod in east Croatia after an 5,000 mile migration from Africa

Kleptetan was running six days late, causing panic among local media and fans of the stork couple

This year, Malena made a rare flight and the couple were reportedly inseparable for hours

This year, Malena made a rare flight and the couple were reportedly inseparable for hours.

She does have the ability to make very short flights but her wing has not healed well enough for her to make the trip to Africa, or even to properly feed herself.

Every summer, the pair bring up chicks, with Klepetan leading their flying lessons in preparation for the trip south in summer.