Kidnapped goat taken on pub crawl causes chaos

A goat was taken on a tour of Horley's pubs before "rampaging" around a bar when he was let off his lead. The two-year-old goat, called Billy, was "kidnapped" and taken on a pub crawl around the town centre, before being released in the Jack Fairman in Victoria Road. Staff had refused to serve two men and their four-legged companion, and called police, when the men allegedly became abusive. The goat was then let loose.

Steve Lea, manager of the Jack Fairman, said: "It was a bit surreal, and definitely a first for me. We said: 'We're not serving you with a goat'. They refused to leave so we called the police. Then they let the goat off the leash and it was charging around the pub, but luckily no damage was done and no one was injured."



The goat's owner, who asked not to be named, said he was grateful to have his pet back safely. The first time he knew Billy had been taken was when police called him. He said: "The only reason he was rampaging in public is because he had a bit of freedom. Billy is a playful goat, and he never normally does things like that. It's what can happen if you let an animal off its leash."

The goat and its companions were thrown out of the Foresters, Victoria Road, then refused entry to the Gatwick Arms and Subway food outlet on the High Street, before entering the Jack Fairman. Richard Buttifant, a chef at the Foresters, said: "They came in and we saw the lead and I tried to tell them they couldn't have a dog in the pub. They said 'it's not a dog' – then the goat put its head up over the bar. It was surreal."