Birds of prey attack Oxfordshire students

Students have been banned from eating outside at a school in Oxfordshire, to stop them being attacked by birds of prey.

Pupils at Ickmiel Community College have been warned not to eat their lunches in the school playing fields, after several students reported red kites attempting to steal their food.

"Red kites come and swarm around everyone when they're eating. They've swooped down to grab it out of our hand," one student told BBC News. "One Year 8 student had his hand scratched by one of them and had a tetanus jab."

A representative for the Chilterns Conservation Board said that people should not attempt to feed the birds with additional food, as their numbers needed to balance out naturally.

"It's an area of outstanding beauty so it's already attracting lots of people, but the kites just give an added focus of interest for wildlife enthusiasts," they added.

The red kites were reintroduced to the Chilterns during the nineties after becoming all but extinct by 1871.