National Trust reports that an Arctic tern discovered off the coast of Northumberland is believed to be more than 30 years-old, making it the oldest known in the UK.

Originally ringed on the Farne Islands on 28 June 1980, it was re-trapped on Inner Farne this summer. The bird would have been ringed when a few days old making it now more than 30 years of age.

The tern was trapped in 1980 by a team of wardens that included John Walton who is now the National Trust property manager for the islands.

John Walton said: “This is a remarkable discovery especially as only one-in-50 birds that are ringed are subsequently caught again.

“Back in 1980 I was in my second year as a seasonal warden. Part of my job was ringing tern chicks. When I put ring number CE60645 onto the chick’s leg and recorded it in the log I thought no more of it. It was one of hundreds that would make the perilous journey down to the Antarctic that winter.

“When the news broke regarding the tern I was out like a shot to see how CE60645 had fared. This bird will have flown close to one million miles, raised any number of chicks, survived predators and storms and still looks in brilliant shape.

“In contrast, I have led a relatively sedentary existence and kept adventure to a sensible level, in fact alongside the tern I look knackered.”

The previous British record for the oldest Arctic Tern was 29 years, 10 months and 11 days which was also discovered on the Farne Islands.

An estimated 2,199 pairs of Arctic tern spent the summer months on the Farne Islands this year compared to around 3,129 pairs that made up the population in 1980. The decrease in numbers counted is largely down to a colony shift.

Lee Barber, Recoveries Officer at the British Trust for Ornithology, said: “This is a great record but something we wouldn’t have known about if this bird hadn’t been ringed.

“Without this uniquely numbered ring, we really would have little knowledge of how long Arctic terns live and breed.

“This highlights the importance of ringing as a tool for conservation which allows us to identify birds as individuals. Let’s hope Arctic Tern CE60645 returns to the Farne Islands next year and breaks its own record.”