A cartoonist who turned her pet parrot's antics into a comic strip is distraught after the bird took flight and vanished.

Chester, a ten-year-old green monk parrot, has gone AWOL from his home in Lark Rise, Crawley.

Heartbroken Georgia Prosser, a model and cartoonist, said Chester would crave human company and was probably already sitting in someone's living room, impressing them with his fancy whistling.

Although Chester doesn't say much - apart from a high pitched 'hello' - he mimics whistles and kisses people on both cheeks with his beak.

Georgia said: "Chester was on my mum's shoulder when something startled him and he flew off into the woods.

"We heard him a few days later and went out to call him and he swooped into the garden but another bird frightened him off.

"He thinks he is human and craves human company so the chances are that someone might have taken him in."

Georgia - who has a fine art degree - draws a hilarious cartoon strip about Chester and her cat Radar and is hoping it gets taken up by a newspaper syndicate.

Chester is predominantly green but has blue flight feathers. He is a great wolf whistler and his favourite food is cooked peas and bananas.

Georgia said: "He just doesn't bother with bird food at all."

The copse near Lark Rise in Langley Green is called Ewhurst Woods.

Georgia said: "We would be so grateful to have him back. He's a real character and we have had him since he was a chick. He's more than a parrot - he is one of the family."

Anyone who has seen Chester can call Georgia on 07966 519261.