A rogue raccoon sparked a frantic search after it was spotted skulking around a resident’s garden.
The critter was first seen last Thursday (13 November), just days after a flamingo did a runner from a wildlife park elsewhere in the county.
Shocked local Hayley Fairburn filmed the masked mammal wandering around her garden in Gwennap, Cornwall.
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The raccoon could be seen peering through Hayley’s windows while her bewildered dog barked from inside.
Fearing the unusual visitor could be at risk, she immediately called the RSPCA, triggering an urgent hunt for the furry fugitive.
But zoos and wildlife parks later confirmed all their raccoons were present and correct – leaving the creature’s origins a complete mystery, as reported by What’s The Jam.
The RSPCA Cornwall branch warned locals in a Facebook post: “Please be aware that a raccoon has been spotted on the loose today in the Gwenapp area.
“We have contacted the relevant agencies and specialists.
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“If anyone contains or safely secures the raccoon, please call the RSPCA national helpline on 0300 1234999.”
The runaway raccoon was eventually found holed up in a nearby greenhouse, where RSPCA officers, a veterinary nurse and a vet all raced to the scene.
The animal was safely collected.
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The bizarre sighting has left locals baffled and marks the second exotic escape to hit Cornwall in less than a week.
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