ON Monday, December 8, 1969 the news included strikes, robberies and the latest from the ongoing conflict in Vietnam.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono hired billboards across the world and used them to spread the message that war was over if we wanted it.

In spite of all this, the main picture on the Adver’s front page was of a budgie called Dinker – possibly the only member of his species to be given such a high profile in the long history of this newspaper.

“Dinker is no ordinary budgerigar,” we said.

“But then most budgies don’t get gassed, blown, up, buried under rubble, flooded with water, suffer from two days’ exposure and live to chirp about it.

“Dinker is the pet of Mr and Mrs Leslie Greenwood and their family, and he was the only one in when their home in Crombey Street, Swindon, was blown up on Thursday.

“His cage was found, wrecked, and his family thought it was the end of the perch for him. But on Saturday workmen clearing away debris from the house found Dinker alive and a lot better than could be expected.”

During the period gas explosions were worryingly frequent, and often due to leaking pipes and inefficient or non-existent safety features on appliances.

Only the year before, a London tower block called Ronan Point had been the scene of a disaster which began when an elderly woman tried to light her cooker. The ensuing explosion collapsed part of the poorly-constructed building and four people were killed.

The tale of a gas explosion in which everybody survived – even a tiny family pet – must have been a very welcome good news story.

Mr Greenwood said of Dinker: “He’s a bit scruffy and he’s got a bump on his head, but apart from that he’s fine.”

We added: “Now that’s what you’d call a stiff upper beak.”