Thursday, January 01, 2009

Giant turquoise flying rabbit sparks police alert

A giant turquoise flying rabbit was at the centre of a major police alert after it broke free from its moorings and crashed into a bridge over the River Thames.

A helicopter, paramedics, fire crews and several police patrols rushed to Walton-on-Thames, Surrey, after a local resident dialled 999 claiming a man had been riding the rabbit and could be seriously injured.

The alarm was raised by a woman living near Walton Bridge, who told police that she had spotted the colourful creature drifting past her house and could have sworn it was carrying a passenger on its back.

A spokesman for Surrey Police said that numerous emergency crews arrived at the scene and discovered the mystery flying object was in fact a deflated helium balloon in the shape of a rabbit.

"It was turquoise in colour and was entangled in the trees alongside Walton-on-Thames bridge," the spokesman said.

"Fortunately there was no-one with the balloon which appears to have broken free from its moorings and taken off. We are trying to trace the owner."

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