Runaway red panda caught at Cornish fruit and vegetable market

A red panda thought to have escaped from a zoo was rescued by police officers and staff at a fruit and vegetable market where it was spotted wandering.

The endangered animal was discovered in Newquay, Cornwall, after reportedly fleeing Newquay Zoo.

Rachel Craze of Freshpoint said her members of staff rounded up the animal - which had travelled about a mile until police officers arrived and kept it contained until zoo staff arrived.

“I knew straight away it was a red panda - I’d seen them at the zoo - and in a Disney movie I think,” Ms Craze said. “My staff recognised it wasn’t a cat and they made a barricade to stop it running any further down the road.

“They ushered it into a sheltered housing complex across the road. Shortly afterwards three police officers arrived and didn’t have a clue what to do - then the zoo staff arrived.

“They rounded it up - but the cute, cuddly red panda wasn’t quite so cute and cuddly when it was being put it in the back of a van,” Ms Craze said. “I’m very proud of my staff. I doubt the panda would have lasted very long on the road - or had the seagulls spotted it.”

A spokesman for the company said staff distracted the red panda with an apple before cornering it. A zookeeper with a net eventually caught the animal.

Insp Guy Blackford posted online following the incident on Friday morning: “Not often Newquay Police… get sent to an escaped red panda from the local zoo. Panda rescue is not a topic taught in police training yet!”

Newquay Zoo has been contacted for comment.