LONDON • A seagull in search of food ended up looking bright orange after falling into a vat of chicken tikka masala.

The bird was attempting to scavenge meat from a food factory bin on Monday when it tumbled into the vat of curry.

Fortunately, it was rescued by workers at the site in Wales and picked up by a volunteer for Vale Wildlife Hospital located near Tewkesbury, England, The Guardian reported.

Washing-up liquid was used by the hospital staff to remove the bright orange colour from the seagull's feathers.

The bird was returned to its original white colour, but it still had the smell of curry.

Veterinary nurse Lucy Kells said: "It really surprised everyone here - we had never seen anything like it before."

"The thing that shocked us the most was the smell. It smelled amazing, it really smelled good," she added, according to BBC News.

The seagull was then placed in a cage and hospital staff are helping to increase its weight by feeding it pieces of chopped fish, meat and dog and cat food.

Subsequently, the seagull will be transferred to an aviary to re-waterproof its feathers over the next few weeks.

Once ready, the bird, which is probably more than two years old going by the colour of its feathers, will be released back into the wild.