Armed police and helicopter scrambled to hunt for escaped white tiger off M27 ... but find a cuddly toy

By Daily Mail Reporter


-Golf course evacuated, game stopped at Hampshire cricket ground, public told to stay indoors
-Armed police head off for hunt in golf buggy
-'It looked like they were going on safari'
-Marwell Zoo experts on hand with tranquilliser darts

Harmless: This is the life-size cuddly toy that fooled armed police - backed up by a helicopter - into believing it was an escaped tiger


Armed police backed up by a helicopter were sent out to hunt down an 'escaped tiger' spotted in a field - which turned out to be a cuddly toy.

A golf course was evacuated and people in Hedge End, Hants, were warned to stay indoors after a member of the public reported seeing an 'escaped white tiger' lying in a field.

Officers from Hampshire Police were dispatched with tranquilliser darts, while a thermal imaging helicopter was scrambled ahead.


But they realised something wasn't quite right when they saw the 'tiger' blow over in the wind - and after thermal cameras confirmed there was no heat coming from the creature.

Police moved in and discovered a life-size stuffed toy white tiger.

The tiger was spotted close to junction 7 of the M27 - and police enlisted help from experts at nearby Marwell Zoo, who were ready to send in a team equipped with tranquilliser darts to overcome the beast.

The Rose Bowl cricket ground said a game between South Wiltshire and Hampshire Academy was stopped for about 20 minutes before they were given the all clear to continue.

Golfers on a nearby course and cricket spectators were warned to stay in their cars.

Trevor Haywood, who was watching his son James play cricket, said: 'A police car screeched up to the ground, and a minute later a woman came running out of the pavilion saying there was a tiger on the loose.

'All the players were rounded up and put in the Pavilion, and we were all told to go back to our cars and stay there with the windows wound up.

'Three other police cars arrived and I saw two officers go off on the back of a golf buggy armed with a rifle.

'It looked like they were going on safari.

'Everyone was a bit taken aback by the police presence - but there wasn't really a feeling of panic. I think everyone's common sense told them it was very unlikely there was actually a tiger on the loose.

'We were cooped up for almost an hour before people saw the officers come back - one of them holding the offending tiger.

'I've never been at a cricket match that's been stopped because of a loose tiger before. It was certainly a new experience.'

Stop, tiger on the loose! A golfer makes his way on to the County Golf Club in Hampshire today. Yesterday, armed police were on the links searching for the 'escaped white tiger'


Acting Chief Inspector Steve Wakeford said: 'We received a call from passers-by who were convinced that there was a real tiger in the field.

'I was on the ground myself and it did look very realistic.

'We didn't want to risk upsetting or disturbing the tiger in case it ran into the nearby cricket ground.

'Officers in the helicopter told us the tiger appeared to be real - but when they couldn't detect any heat, they moved the helicopter closer to the ground.

'We started to suspect that the tiger might not be real when it didn't run away from the helicopter - and as it got closer to the ground, the wind from the blades actually blew the tiger over onto its back.

'It was at that point we were sure that it wasn't real.

'We did all have a bit of a laugh when we realised it was a stuffed toy - but we had to take the report seriously.

'I don't know how the tiger got in the field though. It may have been a prank.
'It is better to be safe than sorry, and it was a great training exercise for us.'


source:dailymail