1.PERCY THE PEACOCK LOOSE ON THE STREETS OF UXBRIDGE

Missing Peacock in Uxbridge

Katie Goodall/The Uxbridge Gazette/23rd November 2007

Peacock

PERCY the peacock is running loose on the streets of Uxbridge thanks to yobs who broke in and set him free. Stan Atkin, 70, who owns the animals in Pet's Corner, Petworth Gardens, Hillingdon, is launching an appeal to be reunited with the wandering one-year-old peacock, who has been missing since August.

The two other peacocks who lived with Percy perished after a hungry fox invaded the damaged cage. There have been numerous sightings of Percy as he dashes from gardens in a hunt for food and water, but he is too quick for neighbours to catch.

Instead kind hearted residents in Petworth Gardens and Ryefield Avenue have been feeding him muesli, nuts and providing fresh water. After a tiring day roaming the streets he sleeps up a eucalyptus tree to escape from the fox.

Mr Atkin urges anyone who finds Percy to lock him in a shed with muesli and water, and contact him straight away either by visiting Pet's Corner, or telephone to arrange a time to pick him up.

The dedicated animal owner has rescued animals from ponies to birds at the sanctury for 33 years. He wishes he had someone to help around the farm and feed the animals. One lady comes in once a week to feed the rabbits.

He welcomes volunteers who can spare a little time in a rewarding job that sees animals change from abandoned and mistreated creatures to thriving pets that educate and entertain the youngsters that visit the farm.

He said: "It would be a lot better if I had somebody to help me now the dark night's are coming."

To keep the farm running, Mr Atkin relies soley on public donations and needs at least £100 a week to buy food and hay for the hundreds of animals who reside there.

Visitors can make donations in the wishing well at the entrance. Alternatively pop down and hand a cheque or cash to Mr Atkin. Donations can also be set up by direct debit by contacting Mr Atkin on 01895 235 408.

Ends

Here is a video interview I recorded with Stan Atkin after the Gazette photographer Chris Berry took photos of Stan at this part of Pet's Corner for the Gazette.

After I conducted my first interview with Mr Atkin two weeks ago for my News Writing module class assignment, I filmed a video for my main blog, click on this link to view: http://uxbridgereporterkatie.blogspot.com/2007/11/3-minute-interview-with-stan-atkins.html.

Mr Atkin kindly let me film him again to launch an appeal to find Percy the Peacock. Here is the footage taken on my mobile phone. Viewers will need Flash Plug In or RealPlayer installed on their PC. Wear headphones to listen to the interview.

The article was published in The Uxbridge Gazette on Wednesday 28th Novemeber 2007. The article is only available in printed format, therefore I have submitted a copy in my A4 file.

This is the article I submitted to the Gazette before it was subbed and published.

REFLECTIVE REPORT: MISSING PEACOCK

I interviewed Stan Atkin for the news writing module class assignment to generate an animal story. I went to a local animal rescue home and discovered multiple story ideas such as an appeal for helpers, Mr Atkin's struggle to keep the farm running without funding and a peacock on the loose in Uxbridge.

I originally wrote a general piece, and Sarah Niblock suggested the peacock angle. I emailed the content editor of The Uxbridge Gazette, where I am currently on a work placement and he loved the idea, and said write around 300 words.

I wrote a 350 word copy about the appeal to find the missing peacock and it was published on Wednesday 28th November in the Gazette series. I went slightly over the word count, and some of it was subbed.

I decided to create an adventure story angle, showing a wandering peacock on the loose on the streets of Uxbridge sleeping up a tree to escape from the fox.

I have also included a four minute video interview with Mr Atkin, so viewers can watch and listen to my actual interview.

This interview was filmed after Chris Berry the Chief Gazette Photographer had taken the pictures of Mr Atkin, a photoshoot I booked and went out on location to get a second interview.

This is an example of a news report that took a lot of thought and editing to get right. The results were worth my first experience of interviewing Mr Atkin on a freezing cold November evening, enduring harsh winds to gain my interview.

The sound effects are very effective for the viewer to picture the image of Mr Atkin's busy Pet's Corner. David Tilley praised my article and said it was really good, therefore I feel I also have a good article to put in my NCTJ portfolio.