Owner of rhea on run in Suffolk warns public not to catch it

Chris the rhea has a mate waiting for him back home

The owner of a missing large, flightless bird has warned others not to try to catch it.

The rhea, nicknamed Chris by locals, escaped from a farm in Diss, Norfolk, in November and has since been seen roaming around Suffolk.

A relative of the ostrich family, rheas can grow up to 5.5 ft (1.7m) tall and run at speeds of 40mph (65km/h), which make them difficult to catch.

Owner Stephen Alleyne said: "Be aware that they can kick very hard."

The bird was spotted in Wetheringsett, Suffolk, on Monday

Mr Alleyne believed Chris escaped from his field when it flooded and he was able to swim across the neighbouring river.

"For about a month, he was in the field next to where we live, which is about 30 to 40 acres," he continued.

"We tried so many times to try to catch him. Every time we tried and rounded up a few people to help, he just bolted before we got within 100 yards of him."

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Since his escape, Chris has since been spotted in a number of locations in the Waveney valley area, including Yaxley, Mendlesham, Wetheringsett and Bedingfield.

Rheas typically feed on grain, grass, insects and small rodents, so Mr Alleyne believed he would have "plenty to eat".

Chris has been mistaken for an emu, which is a relative of the species

With such a vast open space to explore, Chris has proved difficult to catch.

"We've been out so many times trying to catch him when he's in big fields and we're just wasting our time really. We just cannot get anywhere close to it," said Mr Alleyne.

"We have a catching net in the van ready if someone rings us to say that 'we've got him cornered in the garden or in a small paddock'."

He added that food could be used to lure him into an enclosed space but overall "it's best to leave him alone".