THREE of the UK's first bee-eater chicks in almost 50 years made their maiden flight at the weekend - but another one has died.

Four chicks have been reared by a pair which nested in Bishop Middleham Quarry Nature Reserve, in County Durham, the first time this has happened in Britain since 1955.

Over the weekend, three of them made their first flights at the reserve, which is managed by Durham Wildlife Trust.

However, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and the trust announced that the body of the fourth chick was found near the burrow, which is in a cliffside. Thought to have been the youngest and weakest of the brood, it probably died due to wet weather on Friday.

Two of the surviving birds made their first flights at about 9.15am on Saturday, the first time they had left the burrow since their birth a month ago, and the third followed yesterday, affording excellent views for the large crowds at the specially created viewpoint.

Bee-eaters are normally found in southern Europe and over-winter in Africa and it is expected that the birds will soon leave the quarry and forage further afield before beginning their long flight