SOUTH Woodford's famous budgie Sammy III faced doing bird when he was stopped by the police.

But Sammy was released without charge by the Bill after they had questioned him and his owner in Woodford Green.

The bizarre incident occurred in Broadmead Road last Thursday afternoon when Sammy was travelling on the back of owner Barbara Schenker's scooter.

The officers spotted Barbara's Budgie on Board sign and pulled up beside the pair to make sure Sammy III travelling in his see-through rucksack on the back of the scooter was safe.

Barbara said: "They stopped me and asked me to show them the bag. I thought it was a joke. They took the bag and at first refused to give it back.

"It is hard to know what the police do with their time. You are always hearing on the news that they are refusing to go to burglaries or turn up late yet they want to stop me.

"But Sammy was cool about it. He didn't know what all the fuss was about. He is fine now and couldn't care less."

Barbara, of Marlborough Road, has been training Sammy III to follow in the footsteps of his two predecessors - Sammy and Sammy II, who between them whistled the national anthem to the Queen, appeared on the Richard and Judy show and became the first non-human to ride on the London Eye.

A police spokeswoman said she could not comment on the incident.