Hens at Greendale farm near Exeter have been celebrating the end of the housing order, by laying ginormous eggs.

From December 8 until February 28, chickens had to be kept indoors due to the risk of avian influenza, and poultry keepers in higher risk areas had to house the birds until April 13.

The owners from Greendale Farm tried everything to keep the birds spirits up, including playing their favourite music, but nothing lifted their spirits as much as letting them out last Thursday.

To celebrate the hens have been laying numerous oversized eggs, including one at 150g - nearly three times the size of a regular egg.

Rowan Carter, from Greendale, said: "Our chickens have been producing crackers all spring but because DEFRA decided that our farm was 100 meters inside of a so-called bird flu high risk area we haven't been allowed to let them outside until today.

"They have been miserable not being able to go outside so we have been trying to cheer them up by playing music to them, a particular favourite is Exeter folk band Show of Hands.

"However nothing worked as well as being able to finally let them out today and just to prove it they have rewarded us with the biggest egg.

"I'm just pleased that this whole bird flu saga is now behind us all, that my chickens are happy outdoors again and more importantly that the public can come to Greendale to see and feed our chickens."

Although this egg was the best of the bunch for the Devon farm, it is still a long way off from the biggest ever lain.

According to Guinness World Records, the biggest egg laid by a hen was in New Jersey, USA, in 1956, weighing in at a whopping 454g.

Greendale farm has over 7,500 Lohmann Brown chickens, and is located just inside a higher risk area, which meant the birds had to be housed for longer.

Now the housing order has been lifted, so all free range birds across every part of the country are now allowed outside again.

Nigel Gibbens, UK chief veterinary officer, said: "We continually review our disease control measures in light of new scientific evidence and veterinary advice.

"Based on the latest evidence on reduced numbers of migratory and resident aquatic wild birds we believe that kept birds in the areas we previously designated as higher risk are now at the same level of risk as the rest of England and may now be let outside.

"However, all keepers must still observe strict disease prevention measures to reduce the risk of contamination from the environment, where the virus can survive for several weeks in bird droppings.

"This does not mean business as usual: the risk from avian flu has not gone away and a prevention zone remains in place, requiring keepers across England to take steps to prevent disease spreading.

"We continue to keep measures under review and keepers should check GOV.UK for regular updates."