Warning after pheasant crash

A LORRY driver had a lucky escape after a pheasant smashed through his windscreen and landed in his lap.

The game bird died instantly when it shattered the glass and hit the stunned driver as he drove along the A429 in Gloucestershire.

Cotswolds police shared an image of the deceased bird on the floor of the lorry cab in a bid to warn other drivers of the danger the clumsy fliers pose at this time of year.

The force said on Twitter: “A lorry driver was assisted by police after a pheasant decided to fly across his path and spear through the window into his lap!

“The driver was shaken up and the pheasant is now eating all the seeds in pheasant heaven…”

Dr Joan Madden, of the University of Exeter, said: “There may be a number of reasons why pheasants are so commonly killed on the roads, including their short flight distances and relatively small brains.”