Runaway pigs cause chaos in Thrybergh, costing council up to £2,500

The animals also roamed streets and disrupted St Gerard’s Primary School before being captured after a week in early December.

Cllr Dominic Beck, RMBC cabinet member for environment, said: “I think it was the most bizarre email I’ve ever received, which simply said ‘pigs loose in Thrybergh’.

“But it’s a serious question and we did incur some small costs in relation to the fencing that was used to contain the pigs, and there was the officer time. We estimate, in total, it was between £1,500 and £2,500.

“The officers have said that it is often challenging to try and recover costs in relation to events like this, but they will endeavour to do so if there’s an opportunity.”

Cllr Michael Bennett-Sylvester, who represents the village, asked for the costs at last week’s full council meeting.

He noted that officers needed to step away from investigating illegal dog breeding to deal with the runaway pigs.

And he added: “This is very much an example of an over-stretched service coming against antiquated legislation, in something that really was a community concern, especially in relation to damage on the graveyard.”