AN escaped ferret caused quite a stir when it fled past a queue of fish shop customers into a York newsagents.

The ferret made its bid for freedom in Walpole Street, off Haxby Road, last night and was spotted by a queue of customers waiting for fish and chips at Walpole Fisheries.

Fortunately, quick-thinking staff at the nearby newsagents on Walpole Street were on hand.

Community constable PC Howard Smelt-Webb said: "I had just gone into the Walpole Street newsagents to say hello and was talking away about things when this white thing suddenly appeared in the door of the shop.

"I thought it was a rabbit at first but on closer inspection it was a ferret.

"It went underneath the displays then one of the staff put a box on it and kept it there.

"I went away to see if I could find the owner - I thought of someone who might own it - and as I was on my way these two gents were looking for a ferret.

"They had come all the way from Nelson Street so it had survived quite well."

David Martin, owner of Walpole Fisheries, said the event had caused some interest in the chip shop queue.

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