Red kites 'could help people make friends'

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Red kites, the elegant birds of prey with six-feet wing spans and long forked tails, could be generating greater friendliness among locals in Gateshead.

Newcastle University is carrying out a study into the socio-economic benefits of re-introducing kites to the Derwent valley district.

Geography student Ashton Lamb, the field researcher, is asking questions such as: "Do you believe that the return of the kites has helped local people become more inter-active with one another?"

Northern Kites project manager Keith Bowey, who led the comeback, explained: "One aim is to find hard facts to support anecdotal accounts of people becoming more friendly thanks to the birds.