Heartwarmer: Farmers in Tanzania paint chickens pink and purple to thwart hawks

How's this for Easter chicks; cunning farmers in Tanzania are outwitting hawks by dying their chickens pink and purple

Farmers in Tanzania sick of losing their chickens to hungry hawks, have taken drastic, if creative action, thanks to an innovative programme funded by UK aid and a little bit of pink dye.

People from Tanzania typically earn less than £7 per month. A mature chicken is worth around £3. One farmer lost 36 of the feathery creatures in a month. That's more than a year's wages.

For some reasons, the hawks won't touched a brightly coloured bird. Possibly because they think it's disease.

Dying and vaccinating a chicken costs about 10p, and the money saved can be used for food or school fees.

Sorry for the lack of funnies, but this story warmed the cockles of my stone-cold heart.