A starling chick won’t leave her new mum’s side as it adapts to life outside the nest.

Julie Brown 28, of Harker, near Carlisle, found this little starling chick in her bedroom a few weeks ago and decided to take it under her wing.

Julie isn’t sure how the starling, called Harry, made it into her room and doesn’t think her cat brought him because he has no injuries.

Although she did put it back outside at first, when she saw it chasing her Shih-Tzu she decided the poor little thing couldn’t stay outside.

She said: “I don’t think I’d want to leave it now with it being hand fed. I think it would be cruel putting it out in the wild – it’s not scared of the dog or cat.”

Julie said her home is becoming an animal farm as she now has a dog, starling, cat and two kittens.

Although they may seem an unlikely household, Julie said the cat isn’t bothered about Harry as she’s too interested in her kittens.

Harry has a cage in Julie’s bedroom where he sleeps, which is pretty much the only time he is quiet.

Julie said: “Through the day it’s always hungry. It just opens its mouth when it wants food and squawks.”

Harry likes to be fed every half hour and has a particular taste for mealworms at the moment.

“When he’s had something to eat he sleeps,” she said. “When I’m driving it sleeps too. I never expected anything like this before.”

He even goes with Julie to work selling cars for her granddad, Derek Winter. He perches on a tin in her car so that he doesn’t make a mess everywhere.

Julie said: “I have thought about taking him to an animal sanctuary but he seems fine. I expected him to die of shock from being in the bedroom and going here, there and everywhere.”

Harry is not flying yet but he likes to hop about and perch on Julie’s arm. Julie said she is happy to keep him for as long as he wants to stay.