A runaway emu has been returned home after being chased around a churchyard and put into a headlock.
The huge bird named ‘Farage’ escaped from its home and was seen fleeing through the snow by bemused residents.
Matthew Devonport described being “flabbergasted” to watch three men chasing after the emu and encouraging it to return home.
Matthew said: “I was going up to the recreation ground with my son George and his two friends Sid and Fred Payne.
“We came up to the churchyard and there was an emu there running through the gravestones.
“It was being chased round the churchyard, the other side of the church is where it lives.
“Around three men cornered it and kind of shooed it to the other side where it lives.”
The emu lives with its owner in Tollesbury, Essex, and made its grand escape to play in the snow at around 11am on Saturday.
Matthew added: “Some kind of argument broke out about how it managed to get out.
“An older lady was there who was the owner.
“One of the men managed to get it in a head lock by its neck and he was took back home.
“It left a trail of feathers all around the churchyard!
“The lady was very grateful and shook the men’s hands.
“I was absolutely flabbergasted! Nothing like this ever happens in Tollesbury!”
Harriet Balcombe, @harrietewstack, said on Twitter: “Tollesbury’s resident emu (yes, emu) got out this morning and has now been safely herded home. #Essex #snow”
@jazz_emson also wrote: “Only in tollesbury would you see an emu escaping in the snow.”
