Leopard creates bathroom mayhem

There's a new joke doing the rounds in the western Indian city of Vadodara.

How do you know that you have a leopard in the bathroom? He is the one with the 'L' on his pyjamas and spongebag.

But for one household in the city, there really was a leopard in the bathroom - and it was not very interested in performing its ablutions.

Thousands of interested spectators converged on the house on Sunday morning once news of the trapped leopard spread.

They watched as frustrated forestry officials repeatedly attempted to lure the animal out of the bathroom and into a cage near the outside door.

But their job was made more difficult because the noisy crowd frightened the animal from coming out.

Correspondents say police were left with no choice but to fend off the onlookers with batons.

The animal was eventually tranquilised and taken away.