A troublesome teenager has turned his back on crime after forging a friendship - with a bird of prey.
The tale is reminiscent of the 1969 British movie Kes about a young boy who befriends a kestrel.
Ben Brettoner was given an Anti Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) after plaguing an estate in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, with vandalism and petty crime.
As part of the order Ben was sent to a falconry centre on the wild moors above Oxenhope, West Yorkshire, where he is learning how to care for owls, falcons and kestrels.
And whilst there he befriended a hawk called Toby and is now changing his ways.
The Kes Project is an eight-week course aimed at Ben achieving a Lantra Beginning Falconry Award.
Ben, who is studying for GCSEs in maths and English, now hopes to get a job in the falconry world when he leaves school in the summer.
Ben said: 'I was messing about in school and it spilled over to messing about outside school.
'I am really enjoying the course. My behaviour has improved because I've found something I'm interested in and I'm a lot happier.
'My favourite bird is a Harris hawk and the best part of the course is flying the birds.'
The real life Kes: Teenager shuns a life of crime after forging friendship with a bird of prey
By Daily Mail Reporter
28th April 2011
Daily Mail
A troublesome teenager has turned his back on crime after forging a friendship with a bird of prey.
It's a tale reminiscent of British movie classic Kes about belligerent schoolboy Billy Casper (David Bradley) who changes his outlook on life through rearing and training a kestrel.
Menace Ben Brettoner, 16, was slapped with an Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) after plaguing an estate in Barnsley, South Yorks, with vandalism and petty crime.
Back on the right path: Ben Brettoner has avoided a life of crime through falconry lessons at a local outlet
As part of the order Ben was sent to a falconry centre on the moors above Oxenhope, West Yorks, where he is learning how to care for owls, falcons and kestrels.
But it's a special bond with a Harris hawk called Toby that has really inspired Ben to change his ways.
Ben said: 'I was messing about in school and it spilled over to messing about outside school.
'I am really enjoying the course. My behaviour has improved because I've found something I'm interested in and I'm a lot happier.
'My favourite bird is a Harris hawk and the best part of the course is flying the birds.
'I became interested in birds of prey because my 20-year-old brother Daniel has a Harris hawk and so I had a bit of knowledge before I started the course.
Just like the film: Ben's story mirrors that of 1969 movie Kes which told the story of a boy who befriends a kestrel
'I saw some lads doing vandalism on my estate last week and I knew that I would have been joining in if I didn't have the responsibility of caring for the birds of prey.
'I'm more chilled out now and my schoolwork and general behaviour has really improved.'
The Kes Project is an eight-week course aimed at Ben achieving a Lantra Beginning Falconry Award.
Ben, who is studying for GCSEs in maths and English, now hopes to get a job in the falconry world when he leaves school in the summer.
The course was the brainchild of Chris Corker, housing management officer at Berneslai Homes, that runs the Barnsley estate where Ben lives.
Mr Corker, who flies birds of prey as a hobby, said: 'I called it the Kes Project because the idea came to me at the school where Kes was filmed. It seemed appropriate because we had a young lad from Barnsley dealing with birds of prey.
In full flight: The 16-year-old now hopes to get a job in the falconry when he has been training his Harris hawk Toby
'Ben was causing mischief and getting into trouble. Now he has an outlet and has taken to falconry. He is more expressive and is focused on the course.
'He comes to the falconry centre every Tuesday as part of his school curriculum and it is hard work, involving learning about how to feed the birds, train them and diseases that can affect them.'
The centre where Ben is based, SMJ Falconry, was delighted to accept him when they were contacted by Mr Corker.
Sandra Johnson, who owns SMJ Falconry, noted the change in the teenager's character since he started attending the centre.
She said: 'Ben has been challenged on the course, but he has put a lot of effort in.
'When he first came here he was quiet and barely smiled or said a word. Now you can have a conversation with Ben and he does smile as he flies the birds and cares for them.'
dailymail.co.uk
The tale is reminiscent of the 1969 British movie Kes about a young boy who befriends a kestrel.
Ben Brettoner was given an Anti Social Behaviour Order (Asbo) after plaguing an estate in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, with vandalism and petty crime.
As part of the order Ben was sent to a falconry centre on the wild moors above Oxenhope, West Yorkshire, where he is learning how to care for owls, falcons and kestrels.
And whilst there he befriended a hawk called Toby and is now changing his ways.
The Kes Project is an eight-week course aimed at Ben achieving a Lantra Beginning Falconry Award.
Ben, who is studying for GCSEs in maths and English, now hopes to get a job in the falconry world when he leaves school in the summer.
Ben said: 'I was messing about in school and it spilled over to messing about outside school.
'I am really enjoying the course. My behaviour has improved because I've found something I'm interested in and I'm a lot happier.
'My favourite bird is a Harris hawk and the best part of the course is flying the birds.'
The real life Kes: Teenager shuns a life of crime after forging friendship with a bird of prey
By Daily Mail Reporter
28th April 2011
Daily Mail
A troublesome teenager has turned his back on crime after forging a friendship with a bird of prey.
It's a tale reminiscent of British movie classic Kes about belligerent schoolboy Billy Casper (David Bradley) who changes his outlook on life through rearing and training a kestrel.
Menace Ben Brettoner, 16, was slapped with an Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) after plaguing an estate in Barnsley, South Yorks, with vandalism and petty crime.
Back on the right path: Ben Brettoner has avoided a life of crime through falconry lessons at a local outlet
As part of the order Ben was sent to a falconry centre on the moors above Oxenhope, West Yorks, where he is learning how to care for owls, falcons and kestrels.
But it's a special bond with a Harris hawk called Toby that has really inspired Ben to change his ways.
Ben said: 'I was messing about in school and it spilled over to messing about outside school.
'I am really enjoying the course. My behaviour has improved because I've found something I'm interested in and I'm a lot happier.
'My favourite bird is a Harris hawk and the best part of the course is flying the birds.
'I became interested in birds of prey because my 20-year-old brother Daniel has a Harris hawk and so I had a bit of knowledge before I started the course.
Just like the film: Ben's story mirrors that of 1969 movie Kes which told the story of a boy who befriends a kestrel
'I saw some lads doing vandalism on my estate last week and I knew that I would have been joining in if I didn't have the responsibility of caring for the birds of prey.
'I'm more chilled out now and my schoolwork and general behaviour has really improved.'
The Kes Project is an eight-week course aimed at Ben achieving a Lantra Beginning Falconry Award.
Ben, who is studying for GCSEs in maths and English, now hopes to get a job in the falconry world when he leaves school in the summer.
The course was the brainchild of Chris Corker, housing management officer at Berneslai Homes, that runs the Barnsley estate where Ben lives.
Mr Corker, who flies birds of prey as a hobby, said: 'I called it the Kes Project because the idea came to me at the school where Kes was filmed. It seemed appropriate because we had a young lad from Barnsley dealing with birds of prey.
In full flight: The 16-year-old now hopes to get a job in the falconry when he has been training his Harris hawk Toby
'Ben was causing mischief and getting into trouble. Now he has an outlet and has taken to falconry. He is more expressive and is focused on the course.
'He comes to the falconry centre every Tuesday as part of his school curriculum and it is hard work, involving learning about how to feed the birds, train them and diseases that can affect them.'
The centre where Ben is based, SMJ Falconry, was delighted to accept him when they were contacted by Mr Corker.
Sandra Johnson, who owns SMJ Falconry, noted the change in the teenager's character since he started attending the centre.
She said: 'Ben has been challenged on the course, but he has put a lot of effort in.
'When he first came here he was quiet and barely smiled or said a word. Now you can have a conversation with Ben and he does smile as he flies the birds and cares for them.'
dailymail.co.uk
