AN eager ostrich at a Hampshire animal centre has laid her first eggs of the season six weeks early because of the warm weather.

Zookeepers at Marwell near Winchester were amazed to spot a pair of bright white ostrich eggs in the big birds' enclosure this week.

Ostrich duo Honey, 12, and Boomer, 14, started mating earlier this year but zoo staff were not expecting to see any eggs until March at the earliest.

However, the current mild temperatures prompted Honey to lay her first 12-inch long egg a surprising six weeks early.

It was not long before Honey laid her second egg and the maternal bird looks set to lay up to a dozen more over the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, scientists have issued dire warnings about the threat from climate change, predicting average world temperatures will rise by about three degrees by the end of the century, with devastating consequences.

Sir Nicholas Stern's report on climate change warned there could be an increase in heatwaves like that in 2003 in Europe, when 35,000 died and agricultural losses hit $15 billion, while wildlife here would also be hit.