IT MIGHT not be as hot as a tropical jungle, but the squawking of exotic birds makes Adrienne Elliott's Redcar home sound like the Amazon.

The screeching comes from five hungry baby birds. Mrs Elliott knows what her demanding charges want - and she is ready with a hand-made funnel to drip bird food into their gaping beaks.

The fast-growing parakeets are the latest patients to benefit from her care.

They were taken under her wing when their mother attacked them and pulled out their feathers soon after they were born. Now the four-week-old birds are thriving at Mrs Elliott's home in Laburnham Road and are due to return to their mother when fully weaned.

Mrs Elliott runs an advice service and will babysit birds.

She said: "I call these parrots my little boys. When they first arrived they were very small and weak from being abused by their mother.

"They huddled together in the corner and wouldn't feed, but now they are all extrovert characters and can't get enough food."

Parrot owners can contact Mrs Elliott on (01642) 471184.