LITTLE Ricky Bowers is distraught today after his beloved cockatiel flew the nest.The nine-year-old had a miserable Christmas and said he would have gone without his presents just to have his six-month-old bird, Bart, back again.

LITTLE Ricky Bowers is distraught today after his beloved cockatiel flew the nest.

The nine-year-old had a miserable Christmas and said he would have gone without his presents just to have his six-month-old bird, Bart, back again.

His mum Julie said her son was absolutely devastated after Bart flew out of the back door, which had been opened by his elder brother Tomas, and was never seen again.

"They were inseparable. Ricky spent so much time with the bird, he loved him to bits."

Ricky would spend hours with his pet, which had a yellow patch shaped like a crown on its head, reminding the Morland Primary school pupil of the cartoon character Bart Simpson.

Ricky, of Vandyck Road, Gainsborough, had taught Bart to bend its head so that it could have its neck scratched when Ricky tapped his fingers three times.

The talented bird, which had been bought for Ricky as a birthday present in September, had also been taught to say 'hello mate', 'good boy' and 'sexy'.

His mum has helped him pin up posters asking neighbours if they had seen his treasured bird but no sign has been seen of it yet.

Bart went missing at 11am on Sunday. The bird had been allowed to fly around in the house – but Ricky's brother Tomas, 13, unfortunately opened the back door and the bird flew away.

Mrs Bowers said: "Ricky was upset but Tomas is just as upset with what he's done."