The owl had never seen snow before

Folly, who stands 2ft 6in high and has a wingspan of more than 4ft, disappeared two weeks ago.

Her owner Mark Regan from Pontypool, south Wales spent days searching for the bird but she was found by a farmer who took her to an owl sanctuary.

"She is one of the biggest birds we have ever taken in," said Dave Cooksey who runs the centre near Usk.

"European eagle owls are normally very aggressive birds, but this one is quite the opposite.

"She is quite docile and has a nice temperament but that could be because she is still quite young. She's only about a year old.

"We noticed that she had a ring on her leg so we contacted the breeders but they didn't have the owners details.

Dave Cooksey has been caring for Folly

"But today we had a phone call from the real owner and she is going to be reunited later on," he said.

Mr Cooksey, who runs the Welsh Owl and Wildlife Sanctuary in Llangybie near Usk, said that the bird was "magnificent" looking.

"She came to us from a farmer who had seen her sitting on a fence in his field.

"He just went up to her and invited her to step on his arm and she did - he must have had gloves on because her talons are huge."

Folly is to be reunited with her owner, 19-year-old Mark Reagan, later on Thursday.

His father Mike explained how the family have been searching for the bird every morning since she went missing.

"She flew off during the snow when Mark was feeding her," he said.

"She must have got a little nervous of the weather and off she went.

"She did come back after a couple of days but flew off before we could get to her and we have been desperate to find her ever since.