WHEN it comes to persuading people to part with their pieces of eight, this might just take the biscuit…or should that be cracker.

Richard Smith

WHEN it comes to persuading people to part with their pieces of eight, this might just take the biscuit…or should that be cracker.

A friendly parrot in the seaside town of Aldeburgh is proving to be a champion fundraiser for the RNLI.

Mr Magoo perches on the wall in front of his owner's house, at the southern end of the High Street, and happily poses for pictures with visitors and residents.

A donation is made in an RNLI collecting tin for each photo, and almost £700 has been generated since July.

Diana Lovell-Pank acquired Mr Magoo when he was five months old to give to her husband, Dorian, as a birthday present.

She recalled: “He said the present was not exactly what he would have chosen. Magoo is going to be 12 in February - he could live until he is 80 - and my husband now tolerates him.

“Magoo has been on our fence or wall every summer and last year we looked at the hordes of people coming past and I spoke to the coxswain of the lifeboat about raising money.

“We put a box out this July and we thought what with the credit crunch, food and fuel prices, that people would not really put in much.

“But this is middle Britain at its best - people have been here from North Wales to South Cornwall in their coach loads and we have raised £630 with more money coming in since then.''

If Mr Magoo is not in his usual position, can sometimes be found perched on the shoulder of Mrs Lovell-Pank at the Mill Inn.

There he indulges in a cup of coffee served with a chocolate digestive by landlady Sue Peel - and the parrot dunks the biscuit and then licks off the chocolate.

However, Mr Magoo is not welcomed by the aggressive seagulls wheeling overhead in Aldeburgh. On two occasions he has been in serious trouble and he has had his wings clipped to stop him flying.

However, the apricot coloured bird with a deep orange crest will have to be taken indoors soon. He is not keen on winter weather, especially the wind.

Lee Firman, Aldeburgh lifeboat coxswain, said: “This is a very unusual fundraising idea, but an absolutely fantastic achievement, and thanks to Diana for letting Magoo do it - and thanks to Magoo himself. He is the star of the show.”