By finding an injured pigeon in The Strand, two amazing variety club artists, Louis and Yvonne Veness, first began to care for wild creatures. Upon their move to Berkshire, they started up their own Newbury wildlife hospital, knowing of no other in the country.
Foxes, badgers, deer, squirrels, a polecat, bats and every variety of birds were brought to them, even an oiled heron from as far away as the Clyde. Their experiences were many - from rescuing fox-cubs born in a tombstone to separating two male swans involved in combat.
Although Louis suffered a sex-change and became known as Louise, they pioneered against cruelty to wild creatures for over thirty years, appearing on television several times in programmes such as TV's "Country Ways" and "Magpie", and in numerous illustrated articles for the national press.
Wise Owl and Barn Owl were their code names for CB radio.