It's Flewdini! Long-legged rhea bird escape artist that caused traffic chaos ... trends now
The long-legged rhea bird that caused village traffic chaos yesterday after breaking out of a farm is now back home after being found in a school field.
The flightless bird fled from a farmer's field on the edge of Repton, Derbyshire, after a gate was left open.
It was filmed running along Main Street to the astonishment of oncoming drivers who slowed to a standstill and filmed the bizarre sight.
Video shot by a passenger in a following vehicle was uploaded to the village's Facebook page with the caption 'that's the biggest chicken I've ever seen'.
Another local posted on the SPOTTED: Repton Facebook page: 'Has anyone in Repton lost an ostrich? Currently running up Main St' with a laughing emoji.
Video shot by a passenger in a following vehicle was uploaded to the village's Facebook page
The escape artist was eventually located at lunchtime after a schoolmaster at Repton called the owner to say the rhea had been seen on school land. Pictured: The rhea returned home
Owner Andrew Hallifield told MailOnline he eventually located the escape artist at lunchtime on Monday after a schoolmaster at Repton called him to say the rhea had been seen on school land.
The 50-year-old, who also owns a second rhea, said: 'I think it had followed a footpath from the farm back to a cul-de-sac, near to where we found him', the farmer said.
'I'm relieved to have the bird back. At least it can't run into a car or do itself any damage now.'
Repton is home to broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson's old public school of the same name, where boarders are currently charged £14,560 per term and day pupils are charged £10,800.
On Monday afternoon the bird was brought safely back to the field it shares with its rhea friend on the farm.
The finding of the rhea brought a long chase around the village and neighbouring fields to an end.
Mr Hallifield told MailOnline while the bird was still missing: 'He ended up in the cornfield last night, but the bird was a little agitated and every time we went near it the thing shot off at 200mph. It was two fields away from where it should've been with its mate.
'We decided to leave it there for the night to calm down but when we went back today it'd moved.'
On Monday afternoon the bird was brought safely back to the field it shares with its rhea friend on the farm
Video shot by a passenger in a following vehicle was uploaded to the village's Facebook page with the caption 'that's the biggest chicken I've ever seen'
A local posted on the SPOTTED: Repton Facebook page: 'Has anyone in Repton lost an ostrich? Currently running up Main St'
There are thought to be less than a thousand rheas in the UK, most of which are farmed for their eggs
Mr Hallifield said he does not know the sex of the three-year-old bird, which doesn't have a name. He was patrolling in his pick-up truck on Monday morning trying to pinpoint the rhea's location.
'We've never had a moment's bother from
