Leeds nostalgia: Real life story of '˜Kes' in Yorkshire
Dateline: August 1971: We're all familiar with the film Kes but this month in 1971, there was a real life version. Mrs Carol Campbell, of Leeds Road, Newton Hill, Wakefield, was given a bird seven weeks earlier.
It turned out to be a baby kestrel which had apparently fallen from its next and was found by two youngsters who took it to Carol’s pet shop. It was then cared for by Carol and husband Gordon It was even named Kes. Gordon said: “Since we got him he has become completely tame. We must keep him because he will never be able to kill for himself. His left talon is completely bent is it seems unlikely he will ever be able to straighten it. It we did not keep him he would die or would have been dead already.” He added: “The police said they did not object to our keeping him if we published the fact.”
The film Kes, by Ken Loach, was released in 1969.