A full-scale capture operation is under way on Ilkley Moor after a massive European Eagle Owl terrorised walkers at the weekend.

Bradford Council's Countryside Service is determined to catch the escaped bird of prey after two separate attacks were reported.

The owl, native to northern European countries including Scandinavia, first struck near Backstone Beck, above the old quarry, on Friday evening at 6.30pm.

Website company project manager Andrew Shaw and his girlfriend Lucinda Warnes were strolling over the moor from their home to the Cow and Calf Hotel when they heard a strange noise behind them.

Mr Shaw, 32, from Victoria Road, said: "I can only describe it as a whirring, wafting noise. I turned to see Lucinda being attacked by a very large bird and my initial reaction was just shock because it happened so quickly.

"It was frightening because of the sound, which I'd never heard before, and because it was dark and we were on the moors when it came at us. When I realised it was an owl I felt sure it couldn't cause any serious harm, but I couldn't help thinking 'My God, that's a big bird!'

"It was flapping wildly, its talons reaching for Lucinda's head, but as she screamed and waved it realised it had made a mistake and swooped down to land on the other side of the stream from us, about ten feet away."

Mr Shaw described the bird, a 20-inch high owl with tufted ears and a wingspan of up to five feet, as 'certainly the biggest bird of prey I have ever seen in the wild'.

Shaken, the couple had just about regained their composure by the time they left the hotel later, only to be swooped on a second time in Cowpasture Road.

Keighley firefighter Stuart Minnikin and his wife Paula's six-year-old daughter, Holly, was the next victim of the feathered attacker.

The family were making their way down from an area near Ilkley Crags on Sunday afternoon, after climbing up specifically to catch a glimpse of the bird, when Mr Minnikin heard a 'rushing noise'.

He said: "Holly and I were just going over the brow of a hill when it came out of the blue behind us, heading straight towards her with its talons out.

"I had turned just in time to drag her away from it to the other side of me and waved my arms to fend it off, but it had another go before it flew away.

"I was more astonished than terrified - it was a massive, really big bird but I just couldn't believe it had gone for us. Holly was upset at the time and a bit nervous the rest of the day."

The Countryside Service officer in charge of Ilkley Moor, Richard Perham, says the attacks have only lent more weight to the argument that the bird must be taken out of the wild. The service believes it could have been living there for more than two years, but first made a positive sighting 18 months ago.

Mr Perham said: "We were contacted by Mr Minnikin about the attack on his child and we have had reports of it going for people's dogs.

"There are rumours of sightings at Bolton Abbey and over towards Bradford, as well, but that could well be the same bird. We've already been trying to lure it in and catch it but there are some people in Ilkley who think we should leave it alone."

Mr Perham also argues that the owl needs to be returned to captivity for the sake of the moor's native wildlife. Analysis of its pellets showed it had been eating grouse, falcons and merlins as well as rabbits and other rodents, he said.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds Regional information officer, David Hirst, explained: "More and more people are keeping large owls in captivity and we are concerned at the number escaping," he said.

"If this owl was a falconer's bird, as I suspect, then it would certainly be used to landing on humans. So rather than attacking them it's probably been thinking that they've got some food for it. You can't blame the bird for that behaviour."