Goat on loose? Youmust be kidding me

What a silly billy!
The goat was led into a children's parkThe goat was led into a children's park
The goat was led into a children's park

Police had a shock when an unusual escapee brought traffic to a halt in a market town.

And crime fighters were forced to think on their feet to bring the cloven hoofed absconder under control.

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Officers were called to Kirkham at around lunch time yesterday following reports a ram was running loose in Station Road.

But when they arrived on the scene police discovered they were dealing with a case of mistaken identity.

PC Matt Cross from the Kirkham response team found no sign of a woolly wonder on the high street.

But the callers had not been kidding, as police discovered when they ran into an adult goat in a nearby street.

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Faced with the prospect of the animal hot-footing it from the scene officers had to think on their feet.

And while handcuffs were off little use against such a nimble adversary, a fresh branch proved enough to coax out the animal.

A Lancashire Police spokesman said: “We were called around 12.25pm today following reports a ram was causing traffic problems in Station Road, Kirkham.

“Officers attended and found a goat nearby.

“The animal was moved by police into a play area in Kirkham Memorial Park.”

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Johnny Gilchrist was on his lunch break in Kirkham when he spotted the commotion in the park.

“There were three police officers there,” he said. “At first I thought somebody’s kid had gone missing. Well, that’s true but not in the way you’d think!

“They were all crowded round the children’s train.

“When I got over there you could see there was a goat sitting in it.”

Johnny nearly got more than he bargained for when he went for a closer look.

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He said: “The police had been able to tempt it in with a branch. But they were having to keep a close eye on the goat to keep it there.

“It was really lively. I went up to the railings and it raced over. It was very inquisitive.

“But it stank as well!

“One of the police officers said it kept trying to eat their trousers.”

With the animal finally under control and no longer a danger to traffic, the next problem for police was to solve the mystery of the goat’s owner.

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And it proved a perfect opportunity for officers at the scene to show their sense of humour on social media.

“We don’t know how he goat here..” they joked on the @FyldePolice twitter account .

Fortunately the runaway wasn’t on the loose for long.

“He’ll soon be baaack home...” joked officers as their appeals were answered.