TEENAGER Nicole Rowley didn't flap when a teacher asked her to help with an injured owl.

For the 14-year-old's mother, Sally, runs Weardale Animal Rescue Centre in Stanhope and Nicole knew exactly what to do.

"We've had a few owls in before and I knew how to check it over," said Nicole, a pupil at Wolsingham School.

"She had a bit of blood on her feet but was mainly shocked, nothing else appeared wrong."

Ron Clipsham , head of art, was driving to school from his home in Whashton, near Richmond, when he found the owl in the road at Gilling West.

"I took it to school but when we couldn't contact Mrs Rowley we asked Nicole to help and she knew just what to do," he said.

The owl, which was christened Pablo by Mr Clipsham, turned out to be a Little Owl.

"They are the smallest breed," said Nicole, "They were only introduced into the country a few years ago and grow to four or five inches in height.

"They are a fawny brown colour with white speckling on the wings."

Nicole's sister picked Pablo up from school and the family looked after her for a week before releasing her back to the area she was found.

"We fed her on a rich diet of lamb's heart and ox liver. In the wild they eat voles and shrews," said Nicole.

"We took her back to where she had been found and released her where there were lots of trees with hollows in. She flew into some ground cover and then hopped up a tree and flew off."

The sanctuary has two tawny owls which can never be released because, coincidentally, they are both blind in one eye.