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Torak the wolf is captured after escaping from wildlife sanctuary and sparking major police search

A wolf has been captured after escaping from a wildlife sanctuary in Berkshire and sparking a major police search.

Schools were placed on lockdown after the wolf named Torak escaped from a wildlife sanctuary on Thursday.

The animal broke free after gale force winds overnight damaged a fence in its enclosure at the UK Wolf Conservation Trust, witnesses said.

Officers were called at 8am on Thursday to the scene near the centre in Picklepythe Lane - which is just over three miles from the Duchess of Cambridge's family home in Bucklebury.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "Good news. A wolf in West Berkshire which had escaped has been recaptured and unharmed."

It was captured after 1pm and is now on its way back to the sanctuary.

Teresa Palmer, 62, who founded the park, helped to encourage the 12-year-old animal into a trailer about eight miles away from the park.

She said: "The fact he went through a field of sheep on his way shows he would never be a threat to the public."

Torak the wolf had escaped on Thursday morning (Steve Parsons/PA)
Torak the wolf had escaped on Thursday morning (Steve Parsons/PA)

The wolf was recaptured after travelling about eight miles to Curridge.

The force had previously said: "Do not approach the wolf if you see it."

Sian Champkin, whose husband works at Elstree Independent Boys Preparatory School in nearby Woolhampton, said pupils had been told not to go outside.

The 37-year-old said: "He phoned me to tell me about it because we have a child, a dog and a cat and not to go outside. The sanctuary is about a mile away as the crow flies.

"I was slightly shocked, nothing like this has ever happened before."

Pupils at Downe House school were also reportedly told to stay inside.

Tony Roe, who lives near the wolf sanctuary, first learned of the escape when taking his son to Beenham Primary School at about 8.25am.

The 53-year-old, who runs Theale-based Tony Roe Solicitors, said: "We got to the school gate and a police officer was standing outside. I asked if something was happening and she said a fence had blown down at the sanctuary and a wolf had escaped.

"She was making sure the children got into school safely and the gate was secure.

The entrance to the UK Wolf Conservation Trust's premises (PA)
The entrance to the UK Wolf Conservation Trust's premises (PA)

"About five minutes later I saw a police car with blue flashing lights heading towards the sanctuary.

"It was very windy - about 30 or 40 mph. It woke me up in the night."

Founded in 1995, the sanctuary currently has 10 wolves from the Artic and Northwestern breeds, living in four packs. Two of the packs are from Dartmoor and another from Quebec. The remaining wolves were born at the sanctuary.

Both the school and the sanctuary declined to comment.

The sanctuary in Beenham - which is between Reading and Newbury - declined to comment.