After two months of searching for his beloved falcon, Steven Charlton received the call he had been dreading.

The body of the bird, named Cocktail, was found lying between two railway tracks. It had apparently been hit by a train.

It was a second blow for Mr Charlton, a keen falconer, who had devoted two hours a day for fours years to rearing Cocktail.

Just days after the bird went missing in May, his kestrel Whisper was killed by a cat.

He remained hopeful four-year-old Cocktail, who vanished while exercising, would be found and contacted The Argus for help.

The 39-year-old, of Battle Road, Hailsham, also put up hundreds of posters in the area the bird disappeared, which offered a reward for any information leading to its return.

However, the many responses from members of the public, as well as his own frantic searches, were in vain.

He said: "I got a call from a chap who works for the railways.

"He was inspecting the line between Polegate and Berwick and found Cocktail's body lying between the two tracks.

"He must have been hit by a train. I am absolutely gutted.

"I was positive he would turn up at some point because 90 per cent of the time they do.

"He was a very fit bird and could look after himself. I still kept going back to the place I lost him hoping he would turn up.

"You really can't describe what it's like to lose something you have spent four years with. I'm just devastated.

"I've had quite a bad run and it's hard but you have to live with it.

"Unlike other pets you are never in control of a bird of prey. It controls you.

"If it chooses to fly off there is nothing you can do so you have to bond with it and that is what makes it so hard when something like this happens."

Mr Charlton wants to thank everyone who tried to help him find Cocktail.

He said: "I got a huge response from the article in The Argus and the posters were great as well.

"I probably had about 60 calls and have managed to contact most people who tried to help.

"It did not matter they were false leads because the fact people took an interest makes me very grateful.

"I want to say a particular thanks to the railway worker because a lot of people might not have bothered to call me.

"I've still got a hawk called Merrick and in the near future I will concentrate on him.

"I don't want to get another falcon to replace Cocktail yet because I don't think any bird would do him justice."