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A PET parrot which escaped from its home turned up on a German cruise liner.

Paul and Wendy Rotheram’s beloved bird Geordie went missing from their home in Walton and the couple thought they would never see him again.

But four days later they received a call to say the African grey parrot had turned up on the liner which had docked in the city.

Paul, 54, a hackney cab driver, had contacted the ECHO about the lost parrot earlier this week.

He said: “Finding Geordie has been the best day of my life. It’s better than winning the lottery.”

A crew member of the MS Albatros, on a cruise from Bremerhaven, saw Geordie perched on deck, caught him and handed him to cruise terminal staff.

They called the RSPCA who by chance were contacted shortly afterwards by Paul.

He said: “Wendy was cleaning Geordie’s cage on Monday and she’d left the back door slightly ajar. He flew over her shoulder and landed by the door but as she edged to shut it he suddenly slipped through.

“Geordie was Wendy’s 50th birthday present from a trip to Newcastle six months ago and he cost £1,000.

“It’s not about the money. We’re very attached to him and my three grandchildren have been praying every night he’ll come home safely.

“I’ve put out 1,000 notices asking for information on his whereabouts but I can’t believe that he’s turned up on a cruise liner.

“I’ve always wanted to go on a cruise and Geordie’s beaten me to it.”

Angie Redhead, cruise terminal manager, said: “As soon as Paul walked in he started whistling ‘Half a Pound of Tuppenny Rice’ and Geordie joined in and then Paul burst into tears. What a lovely end to the story.”

The Albatros is owned by Pheonix Reisen. Capt Morten Hansen was presented with a Liver Bird sculpture to mark the liner’s maiden arrival in Liverpool.