KENDAL’S rush hour traffic came to a standstill on Stricklandgate as a hawk-eyed pedestrian sprung into action.

Stunned motorists watched in amazement as Cleveland Wilson, 66, ran into the road near McDonald’s and started scratching at the front of a car.

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Mr Wilson, who has been a member of the RSPB for many years, then emerged from the front of the vehicle clutching a sparrow hawk in his hands.

“I had a look and saw this bird sticking out the grille and I could see it was alive,” said Mr Wilson. “The traffic had stopped so I got down on my knees and pulled it out.”

Before he took the hawk to Highgate vets, Mr Wilson took it to his local GP because he was on his way to pick up a prescription at the time.

“They gave me some funny looks,” he said.

Pedestrian Tom Mangan, 22, who saw the incident unfold last Friday, said: “Just a head was poking out of the front grille.

"Then this man ran into the road and he was pulling the bird out. He stood in the road telling the female driver to calm down!”