A YOUNG peregrine falcon that hatched high up on York Minster has been rescued after ending up on the ground far below.

The Press reported recently how a pair of peregrines, which has been in residence at the cathedral for more than a decade, had hatched healthy little chicks for the first time.

The birds, known fondly as Mr and Mrs Peregrine by staff, have made home in a new purpose-made nest box on the North West tower.

But on Monday, one of the two male ‘juvenile’ birds was spotted on the ground, having apparently tried to fly but without being quite strong enough to get back up to the nest.

A rescue attempt was then launched, involving the Minster police, Jean Thorpe, of Ryedale Wildlife Rehabilitation, Doug Crawford from @yorkperegrines twitter account - who has been closely following the progress of the nesting pair- and Robert Fuller, the wildlife photographer and artist from Thixendale in the Yorkshire Wolds.

Robert said the bird was picked up and ringed before being taken up the tower via a very narrow staircase and placed back on a ledge.

He said that on Tuesday, the other youngster was found on the ground, but this one managed by a series of small flights via local buildings - attacked at one point by herring gulls - to get safely back up to the Minster.

He said it was quite common in the wild for young peregrines to start to fly before they had the full strength to get back to their nest but they would normally be able to fly and scramble their way back up, for example, a cliffside. However, it was much more difficult getting back up the side of a cathedral.

He added that there was a risk over the next few days of the youngsters once again ending up on the ground, where they would be at risk from predators such as urban foxes, and anyone who spotted one should tell the Minster or call him. However, they would soon be strong enough to fly and rapidly gain height to get back to the nest.

The RSPB has said previously that it planned to monitor the chicks and collect data about their behaviour. Mark Thomas, senior investigations officer with the charity, said it was "fantastic" that the Minster peregrines had reared a brood of healthy chicks and there were plentiful food sources at the moment so they would hopefully continue to thrive.

He said peregrines were the fastest living things on the planet, able to reach 200mph when diving for prey.

They traditionally nested on cliff ledges in remote areas but were adaptable and were increasingly making towns and cities their home. Cathedrals were popular nest sites as they offered the same jagged outcrops and high vantage points as a cliff-face.