A Perthshire man whose home was partly destroyed when a car smashed through his bedroom wall is refusing to leave in case his missing pet owl manages to find its way back.
Mike Owens’ tawny owl Bacchus flew off into nearby woods when a Volkswagen Tiguan ploughed through its aviary and into the gable end of his owner’s roadside bungalow.
The accident, on the busy A90 near Glendoick, happened on Tuesday afternoon. No one was seriously hurt in the two-car crash, but police now say one motorist will be reported to the procurator fiscal for alleged careless driving.
A similar crash happened before Mr Owens moved in, about 25 years ago and a safety barrier was put up in front of the property.
Mr Owens, 55, a Perth and Kinross Council environmental health department officer, was at work when the accident happened and emergency crews tried to locate him.
He said: “I was in a meeting when I was told the police were phoning for me. I was told, don’t worry, you’re not in trouble.
“They said there had been a road traffic accident at the house and when they asked me if anyone was inside, I knew straight away it must have been something major.
“The rubble had come down on to the bed and they were worried that someone could have been sleeping in it when this happened.”
Mr Owens, who lives on his own, said: “It’s incredible that the car managed to go off the road and behind the safety barrier. It hit the side of the house with so much impact there were bits of bricks left embedded in a door.
“If they were going any faster, they could have gone right through to the kitchen and taken down the chimney.”
He said: “The electricity has been cut off just in case there’s any loose cables.
“Even though there was no power, I still have access to a spare room, kitchen and living room so it’s not too bad. I’d rather stay around than go into a hotel.
“When the crash happened one of my owls, Bacchus, flew off into the woods and I want to stay around in case he comes back.
“But after a fright like that, I know there’s a chance I’m never going to see him again.”
Another pet, a barn owl called Dusk, was rescued by firefighters from the debris and taken into the care of the Scottish SPCA.
Workers were on site first thing on Wednesday, clearing debris and boarding up the bedroom wall. A prop will be used to stop the ceiling caving in and a structural engineer will come out to assess the damage later this week.
