THERE was a happy hen-ding for the story of a plucky chicken which hitch-hiked more than 40 miles from Derbyshire to Yorkshire.
Agatha the hen, who lives in Derby Road, Morley, took flight on a delivery van that visited her owner, Melanie Brookes.
She gave the driver a fright when she jumped out of his van further along his route – after winging it more than 40 miles to Hathersage.
And that was the last Mrs Brookes had heard of her feathery pet's adventures until she paid a visit to the village and was reunited with the egg-straordinary creature.
Mrs Brookes said: "I knew that she had made it to Hathersage and was apparently at a place called Hog Hall, a farm in the village.
"I did some searching on the internet about the place and went along at the weekend.
"But, when I got there, we found that the farmland was gated off. There was an intercom system but I felt awkward using that and asking about Agatha."
Instead, Mrs Brookes went to the farm next door and spoke with the farmer there.
She said: "I told him why I was there and he said a man called Geoffrey had her.
"He said Geoffrey had been working at Hog Hall and had found her and had her in with his hens."
Eventually, she was reunited with Agatha and said she was "just so happy" to see her again.
She said: "I'm still smiling about it all now.
"I have bought Agatha back to Morley and she is back on top of the roost again. She has a friend, another hen, and the two are inseparable again.
"It was quite an adventure but I'm sure she is happy to be home to roost."
