It was business as usual for local aluminium worker Charlie Calleja last Monday, as he set about his work in his garage on Triq il-Wied, Hal Qormi. That is, until he received an unexpected guest.

Posting to a local animal lover’s group on Facebook, Charlie explains how a particularly brazen cockerel walked into his shop, and efforts to remove him proved futile. “He arrived on Monday, and naturally, since he's not mine l tried to chase him away at first,” the aluminium worker tells GuideMeMalta.

“But it was all in vain, so I thought I can't leave our friend hungry once he decided to take matters in his own hands and refused to leave,” he continues amicably. “So I went to the pet shop and bought him a lot of food, and gave him water too.”

And the sweet gesture seems to have gone down well with the feathered guest, who “is doing fine and seems to have no intention of leaving!”

And as Charlie prepares to head off to Gozo for a few days this evening, he won’t be forgetting about his new friend. “I will make sure to leave him enough food to last for a month,” he smiles.

What a wonderful pair, and a beautiful display of human kindness!