Bird brained: Sunderland schoolboy Emmanuel Adams has amazingly befriended this wild jackdaw he passes each day on the way to school
Parents and pupils at St Mary's RC Primary School in Sunderland complained of being tormented by this jackdaw when it first began appearing at the gates in early December.
It menaced pupils, divebombing children whenever they ventured outside the classroom. Children were so terrified that teachers shortened playtimes and kept them inside to prevent further attacks.
The council even gave the school a high-tech bird scaring device to try to drive it away.
But now, like a real life Kes, the bird has befriended one pupil who passes it on his way to school. Amazingly, the bird started landing on ten-year-old Emmanuel Adams' shoulder as he walked to class.
His feathered friend, who he has named Jack, has taken a shine to Emmanuel, who says the bird is 'not a bully'.
Just like the 1969 film Kes, where a Northern schoolboy tames and befriends a wild Kestrel, the bird and the boy have become firm friends.
And for the past few days the curious crow has even been living with the Adams family, alongside three dogs, four fish and Emmanuel's sisters, Rebecca, 16, Alexi, 11, and Androniki, nine.
Emmanuel's mother, Carolyn Adams, 46, a full-time mum, said: 'The bird took an instant liking to Emmanuel, he would approach him as he walked to school. He picked him out from the other schoolkids.
'One day he just sat on Emmanuel's arm and from then on he would go to school with the bird perched on his arm or shoulder.
'A lorry driver nearly crashed watching him, he was so amazed by it.
'On Tuesday it wouldn't leave his arm and he walked straight into the house with it. It seems to have settled here and it sits and lets Emmanuel stroke it.
Real life Kes: The bird has spent the past few days living with Emmanuel, and even sits with the boy while he does his homework
'Emmanuel has been sat with Jack on his shoulder watching telly and while he had his revision work on his lap, Jack was trying to turn the pages.
'I've got some wild bird feed and I've read online that they're omnivorous so I gave him some of our mince and pasta last night. I've given him fruit too.
Mrs Adams admitted she feels bad about having a wild bird in the house and said she has contacted bird charities for advice on looking after Jack.
She added: 'I don't know what I'm going to do with him yet. If I am advised to let him go then I will.
'Emmanuel will be devastated to be parted from him but I want what's best for the bird.
'And if the bird wants to be with Emmanuel then how can that be a bad thing?' Emmanuel said : 'Any time I walk to school or come back, it goes on my arm. It's been happening since January and last week it followed me all the way home and into the house.
'I've called it Jack if it's a boy and Jackie if it's a girl.'
Film magic: Emmanuel and Jack's friendship echoes the 1969 film Kes, where a Northern schoolboy tames and befriends a wild Kestrel
Emmanuel's home is half a mile from his primary school and the bird frequently follows him on his journey.
Headteacher Sean Brown, 55, said: 'The bird hasn't hurt or injured anybody, but it has unsettled some pupils.
'We have sometimes kept pupils in if we have seen the bird and, on a couple of occasions, shortened breaktimes.
'The bird doesn't appear every day and we have been advised that if it is caught it could be taken to a bird sanctuary.
'We have even put up pictures of birds of prey and it has been suggested that we put up a dummy owl to scare it away.'
The jackdaw has since become more tame around Emmanuel and happily perches on his shoulder or head at home.
Carolyn said: 'I don't know why the bird is so friendly with him but it's lovely, maybe it used to be a pet and it's been hand-reared by another little boy.'