Meet the family who share their home with a pet EMU

Like a lot of youngsters she likes to relax in front of the TV and will eat anything in sight.Beaky the pet emu also quite enjoys a soak in the bath. In fact, the two-year-old bird is almost as much a part of the Newby family as the six children.She arrived in an unhatched egg, an unusual Christmas present for Ian Newby, 44, from his wife Lisa, 36.Now his present is a fully grown emu, weighing 12stone and standing 6ft tall.
Despite her great size – emus are the second tallest birds in the world after the ostrich – she has defied expert opinion by remaining tame and domesticatedShe eats 14lb of corn a week and about five pounds of her favourite fruit and vegetables, particularly broccoli, peas and cauliflower.‘She’s just like a dustbin and will literally eat anything the children toss in her mouth. ‘In fact she’ll eat just about anything if allowed to – keys, drill bits, sponges.’ But Beaky has now been banished to a summerhouse in the garden because she is too messy and troublesome to be allowed the run of the family home anymore.