How Doncaster runaway emu was finally caught and given a loving new home

The 6ft flightless bird now has new owners after a string of attempts to catch her in the fields around Sprotbrough and Cusworth over the last few weeks.

She was finally caught yesterday morning and is now settling in at the Doncaster home of Jonathan Lister, 44, his wife Nickie, 40, and their two teenage children.

The family own three rheas – a distant relation to the emu and ostrich – as well as five alpacas.

Mr Lister said: ‘I was happy to help out as I didn’t want her to be involved in an accident.

‘She was pacing around at first but once she settles down she will be fine.’

The bird was caught near Challenger Drive in Sprotbrough following a joint effort between local man Phillip Johnson, who spent five days monitoring Ethel and feeding her, staff from Doncaster’s Rooster Farm and Rescue and Kelly Brough, who provided the horsebox the bird was eventually tempted into with strawberries.

Aaron Kincaid, from Rooster Farm and Rescue in Bentley said: “It was a real joint effort.

"Phillip deserves so much credit. He’d been following her and keeping an eye on her for five days, feeding her and giving her water and making sure she was OK.”

The group eventually managed to coax a wary Ethel into the back of the horsebox, bringing to an end a hunt that has gripped not only Doncaster but has also made national and international headlines.

She had been on the run for 12 days, evading all attempts at recapture.

The bird initially escaped from a property in Sprotbrough on August 6, after apparently being startled by passers by taking her photograph.

There were then a number of sightings of the bird in and around Sprotbrough at Newlands Park and on the Trans Pennine Trail at Cusworth.

There were later reports that Ethel had been reunited with her owner after spending five days roaming fields and paths in and around the villages over the course of last weekend.

A post on the Our Sprotbrough Facebook page, along with a picture of Ethel, simply said: “She’s home, thanks for sharing.”

But it has since emerged Ethel was never returned home and remained on the run since her initial escape.

Kelly Brough said: “Emus have a nasty kick on them and I’ve got a lovely bruise to show for my efforts but I managed it.”

“We all just wanted her to go to where she would be fed and watered correctly. I think she was hungry and stressed,’ said Mrs Brough.

Added Mr Kincaid, who runs the rescue centre with his partner Jodie Swan, said: “If it wasn’t for Philip being there every day, she might have gone missing for good.

“We’re pleased to have helped and that she now has a new home.”

Both South Yorkshire Police and the RSPCA had been bombarded with calls about the bird.

An RSPCA spokesman said: ‘After establishing there is no known owner, she has now gone to a new home where we hope she will be really happy.’