Inflatable Crocodile Sparks Police Scare

Police and wildlife experts were called to reports of an escaped 3ft crocodile in a woman's back garden - only to find it was an inflatable toy.

A mother alerted emergency services after she noticed the green reptile outside her kitchen window in Plymouth.

She asked two neighbours for help but called police after they decided it was too dangerous to approach the creature.

Officers from Devon and Cornwall Police and a team of wildlife experts from Dartmoor Zoo were sent to the scene with snare poles, nets and riot shields.

The police only discovered they were dealing with an inflatable toy when they threw water over the crocodile from a distance and gingerly approached when it did not move.

The home owner, who did not want to be named, said she was "absolutely mortified"

"I was making my lunch in the kitchen and looked out into the back garden," she said.

"It was pouring with rain and I saw what I thought was a crocodile in the garden. I went to my neighbour's house to ask if they would come and have a look at it.

"They did think it was a baby crocodile and suggested calling the RSPCA or the police but we decided to call the police as I have a three-year-old and was worried.

"A policeman and a policewoman arrived and at that point we were all a bit suspicious because it hadn't moved.

"One of the police officers bravely went out to have a look. They threw water on it and it didn't move. I'm absolutely mortified."

A spokesman for Devon and Cornwall Police said: "Police officers attended and bravely investigated. The beast turned out to be an inflatable toy crocodile. Police have apprehended the crocodile."

A spokesman for Dartmoor Zoo said experts were regularly called out to deal with escaped pets: "Our team have a variety of equipment to deal with such situations, including snare poles, nets on poles and riot shields.

"We also have dart guns but did not bring them on this occasion."