This is the moment an escaped sheep sat in the back of a police car after officers ran it off the road in a Hot Fuzz-style operation.
The animal was left a little “embarrassed” when it was put into the patrol car near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, yesterday.
The incident was reminiscent of the 2007 comedy film starring Simon Pegg, which features a scene in which officers try to corner a swan.
Officers were called after the sheep was seen on the side of the A1 at Buckden.
Concerned drivers contacted police fearing the farm animal would cause an accident.
Have you seen an animal in an unusual place? Email: olivia.christie@mailonline.co.uk
This is the moment an escaped sheep sat in the back of a police car after officers ran it off the road in a Hot Fuzz-style operation.
The animal was left a little “embarrassed” when it was put into the patrol car near Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, yesterday.
Officers were called after the sheep was seen on the side of the A1 at Buckden.
Two Cambridgeshire Police officers led the sheep to their car before transporting it to a local farm to be scanned and returned to its owner.
A Cambridgeshire Police spokesman said: “It’s not every day we get called out to herd sheep.
‘This morning we received multiple concerned calls from drivers on the A1 in Buckden, worried that this lone sheep, wobbling on the edge of the road, was about to cause an accident.
“He was a little embarrassed when we put him in the police car and drove him off the road before taking him to a nearby farm to be scanned and returned to his rightful owner.”
Locals reacted to the operation on social media, with Rachel Kavery saying: “I love this.” Good job. He seems very happy.’
Debbie Fletcher said: ‘How lovely. It’s a nice change.
Another declared: ‘OMG I love this.
“The way he looks out the window.”
Nabil Ilahi added: “Imagine arresting a sheep and handcuffing it.”
Another said: “That sheep is from London, either Ewell or Lambeth.”
This is not the first time police officers across the UK have had their ‘Hot Fuzz’ moment.
In October, police escorted a young swan out of Bath city center wearing one of their fluorescent jackets.
The swan caused a stir among shoppers after it was spotted wandering around a cafe and shops on a Sunday afternoon.
Officers guided the lost swan back to the river near Pulteney Bridge in Bath.
Simon Galloway, 59, said at the time: “I was shopping with my wife and daughter and we noticed a bit of commotion outside the store.
A police officer and two community support officers guide a lost swan back to the river near Pulteney Bridge in Bath in October.
An officer used a fluorescent police jacket to guide the wayward swan into the river.
The incident was reminiscent of the 2007 comedy film Hot Fuzz, which features an iconic scene in which police officers corner a swan.
—That’s when we saw a swan being escorted down the street, presumably to the river.
“There were a lot of shoppers around, they all had their phones in their hands and were laughing. Some dog walkers seemed quite fun too.’
A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police told MailOnline: “We were called to Upper Borough Walls, in Bath, on Sunday 29 October at around 1.30pm after we reported a swan on the road.
‘Officers from our neighborhood policing team attended and contacted the RSPCA.
“Then they accompanied the swan to the canal, where it would be safe.”
Hampshire Police officers also captured a runaway swan in Portsmouth in November.
A female officer was seen smiling as she held the large bird after retrieving it near a roundabout in the city.
Two officers return the swan to the water and its family after responding to a report of concern about a swan that was in the middle of a road.
In a statement posted on Facebook, Hampshire Police said: “This afternoon the team responded to a report of concern for the welfare of an animal in the middle of the road.”
‘The following description was given… “It is about two feet tall, long thin neck, slightly orange and black beak.”
‘Anything else?… “Well, it’s a swan.”‘
“We are pleased to say that we have managed to locate and reunite the Swan with his family at Hilsea Lido.”