Courage has a new name. And that name is Wunsy.

Police have praised a fearless pet parrot after it came to the rescue of its woman owner who was assaulted in a London park.

The African Grey parrot, known as Wunsy, had been happily soaring around Sunny Hill Park in Hendon last Friday when his owner was grabbed by a man and pushed to the ground with both hands in a random attack, police said. The unnamed woman was leaving the park at 12.30pm when the assault occurred.

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Wunsy started to squawk and flap his wings, startling the man and causing him to flee towards the Great North Road. Both the woman and her courageous parrot were unharmed.

Pc Chris Cutmore from Colindale Police Station said: "This was a random attack on a woman walking out of a park.

"Although the parrot Wunsy came to her rescue, we are obviously very keen to trace the suspect and prevent him from attacking anybody else.

"I would encourage anyone who may have witnessed this incident or who has seen the man in the local area to call police on 101 quoting reference 2407517/14. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111."

The attacker is a white man aged 25 to 35 with short blond hair. He was wearing beige trousers and had a dark black rucksack.