Emu rescue efforts 'scuppered' by people 'in 4x4s'

The emu has been spotted in Spilsby over the last few weeks

Efforts to rescue a runaway emu are "being scuppered" by people chasing it "in 4x4s", police have said.

The large bird has been regularly spotted near Spilsby in the last few weeks but Lincolnshire Police said it was not clear when it escaped or where from.

National Exotics Animal Rescue Service (NEARS) was drafted in to capture it but its attempts have been hampered by the public, the Boston area police team said on Facebook.

Both NEARS and the force warned people not to approach or chase the animal while the rescue mission is under way.

NEARS said doing so "could cause the current attempts to recapture him or her to fail", and warned the bird could be scared into a nearby road.

The post added: "Please leave this to us and our contacts to ensure the best outcome for this beautiful animal."

Lincolnshire Police asked anyone with information or sightings of the emu to contact NEARS via Facebook.

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