Buddy saved from a watery grave by the kiss of life

LIKE most families who have pets, the Brennan family in Armoy adored their newly-acquired Budgerigar.

'Buddy' proved a constant companion to parents, Johnny and Ashley, and their two children, four-year-old Stuart and 18-month-old Alesha.

Last week, however, 'Buddy' almost became a fond memory when he was discovered drowning in a sink in the family home at Dean Park.

Ashley had been steeping some clothes and 'Buddy' had been let out of his cage by Johnny when he came home from work.

The sight of the bird immersed in water sparked an immediate frenzy of activity when Johnny grabbed him and immediately applied mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

He figured that if he could blow air into his lungs the bird might stand a chance. An agonising half an hour passed before 'Buddy'' displayed some signs of life.

The application of a hair dryer to take away the water from the bird's body also aided the recovery process and eventually 'Buddy' was back to normal.

Johnny (27) said: "When I first saw the bird I immediately thought he was destined for the bin. Ashley was crying and there was just panic all round.

"I thought if I could blow into his lungs he might stand a chance and I'm glad it worked, but at one point I thought he was going to die."

Little Alesha is particularly fond of 'Buddy' and the bird regularly rests playfully on her shoulders when let out of his cage.

"We'll make sure there aren't any dangers in the future," Johnny said.