A pair of cockatoos recovered in a police raid are among the rarest birds in the world.

The red vented cockatoos are critically endangered and some estimates say there are only 300 left in the wild. They now sell for about £5,000 each.

The birds were recovered after a raid on an address in north Brighton. Officers believe they were among five of cockatoos stolen from an address in Lancing three years ago. Three were recovered soon afterwards but the remaining two have not been seen since. DNA tests were carried out yesterday to establish whether they were the stolen birds.

The cockatoos rarely breed in captivity and are endangered in the Philippines, where it is estimated there are 300-4,000 left, said an RSPB spokesman.

He added: "They have disappeared from many of the islands where they were formerly found and this is primarily due to the pet trade."

PC Fergie Spiller, of Brighton police, said: "The birds are extremely rare and very much sought after - that is why we cannot disclose who the owners are and why we must keep the birds' current location a secret.

Police were alerted when a man placed a wanted advertisement to buy parrots. A reader replied saying he had two cockatoos for sale at £500 each. He knew if the birds were genuine they were worth much more. The reader called the police. A 50 year-old Brighton man has been released on police bail in connection with the case.

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