Izzy, a snowy owl, swooped on the man at the Gentleshaw Wildlife Sanctuary, near Eccleshall, during a bird-handling course at the centre's open day.

Staff at the centre said nine-month-old Izzy must have mistaken the hair piece for some real-life furry prey.

Bird handler Angie Bickerton said: "The owl landed on his head and whipped off his wig and until that moment nobody realised the man was wearing one.

"Izzy usually hunts with his feet so he may have seen something furry on the man's head and mistaken it for his lunch."

Eventually the wig was retrieved when Izzy landed on a handler's arm.

Ms Bickerton added: "The man was pretty good about it and although nobody was laughing at first, we got him straightened out he was okay."