TWO African grey parrots who imitate the sound of vans reversing and like to sing the Match of the Day theme tune have been stolen.

Snoop Dogg and Missy - much loved pets of Joanna Mason and her three children - are distinctive in that they are both very talkative birds who speak - and occasionally swear - in a Teesside accent.

Ms Mason said the male, Snoop Dogg, could be aggressive towards children and men, speaks in a grandad voice and sometimes uses the "f" word, and Missy is gentler, speaks in a squeaky child's voice and has an extensive vocabulary.

The parrots have some phrases that make them easily identifiable, such as 'giz a tickle', 'give us a big fat kiss' and 'hello fat girl'.

They also say "I love you Jojo", "do you want some peanuts" and can sing the Laurel and Hardy theme tune.

Ms Mason, of Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough, said: "I am absolutely heartbroken. I feel almost like I've lost two children.

"I came back from staying at my friend's house for the weekend and someone had broken a window. They hadn't been anywhere else, just downstairs and taken the birds, so that must have been what they were after.

"I am worried about how distressed they'll be because I am gentle with them - I never grab them out of their cage, I just let them come out in their own time. I don't think they'll be talking as much if they are distressed."

The Northern Echo:

She said her children Tyler, 13, Aaron, eight and Lexie, six, were missing their feathered friends.

She said police had managed to gather some forensic evidence from her home and she was hoping that would lead them to the culprit.

African greys can live for 50-70 years in the wild, but they are becoming more rare, and some birds can fetch up to £1,000. They are said to be highly intelligent.

Anyone who may have seen the parrots advertised for sale or anyone who may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact PC Andrew Hampson on the non-emergency 101 number, Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or www.crimestoppers-uk.org.