Runaway Reindeer on the A11, Rodney the Chedburgh emu and the Sapiston sheep – do you remember Suffolk’s animal escape artists of 2023?

The county has seen all manner of creatures great and small escaping from their owners and roaming around in 2023, here are a few that Suffolk News covered this year.

SAPISTON SHEEP

In February, villagers were given an early morning surprise when a herd of 50 sheep were filmed hurrying down the main village road.

After getting free from their field off Coney Weston Road, residents rallied with police and people from the nearby Euston Estate to get them back to their field.

CHEDBURGH EMU

When Rodney, an 11-month-old pet emu, jumped his fence at his home in Chedburgh, near Bury St Edmunds, in the middle of the night in April it sparked a multi-service mission to try and find him.

The RSPCA, RSPB as well as the police went looking for runaway Rodney.

But it was owner Jon Cardy, who was one holiday in Northamptonshire at the time, who came back and found him.

The emu had made it about a mile away from his home, before he coaxed him to Jon’s car with some tempting treats and brought back safely.

ELVEDEN REINDEER

When Blue and Blitzen jumped their pen at the Elveden Courtyard, where they were being shown to the public, earlier this month it caused traffic chaos.

The pair were spotted on the A11 near Thetford and police closed the dual carriageway for around three hours - but were unable to capture the reindeer.

They were finally rounded up the next day between the old A11 and the new A11, after a third reindeer was brought along as well as some food, to tempt back the runaways.