Police solve 'crocodile' find after snappy appeal

Police received reports a dead crocodile had been found by the side of a canal on Thursday

A police appeal over the discovery of a "dumped crocodile" by a canal turned out to be "more fluff than fear".

Derbyshire Police launched a snappy appeal on Thursday - its "strangest ever"- after the alleged sighting on the Trent and Mersey Canal, near Mercia Marina, in Willington.

But the mystery creature turned out to be a stuffed taxidermy model, filled with hay, not a real reptile, and was reeled in by a fisherman.

While there were no crocodile tears in sight, police joked on Friday: "It's not every day we get to say 'we've dealt with a crocodile in Derbyshire!'"

Police thanked everyone who shared the appeal and said: "We can now confirm the mystery has been solved!

"A member of the public has come forward and explained that the crocodile was a stuffed taxidermy one, filled with hay, and inadvertently caught while fishing.

"While it gave us all a bit of a surprise, it turns out this one was more fluff than fear!

"We're incredibly grateful for the public's support, the shares, and the good humour throughout."