'The roving rhea tore my trousers'

THE RSPCA inspector who nabbed the roving rhea of Sprotbrough said the bird proved to be a tricky catch.
Picture of the escaped rhea by Martin RoperPicture of the escaped rhea by Martin Roper
Picture of the escaped rhea by Martin Roper

The plucky bird even tore her trousers with its razor claws before being taken into custody.

The ostrich-like bird’s bid for freedom came to a dramatic end yesterday after days on the run.

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The six-foot tall bird gained something of a celebrity status as it wandered round the area near Sprotbrough Flash nature reserve for a week.

RSPCA inspector Jo Taylor said: “The rhea was a real handful to catch, but thanks to some of the workers at the quarry, I was able to do so without injury to the bird or to myself.

“Rheas have the potential to be dangerous as they are strong, fast and have sharp claws. In fact, he managed to tear my trousers with them.

“Our advice to the general public is to call the police or us if they see one loose.

“At the moment, we have no idea who this rhea belongs to, so we’re appealing to anyone who thinks he might be theirs to get in touch on 0300 1234 999.”

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