A penguin which was the subject of national fears after she was abducted from her Scarborough home has hatched her first chick, eight years on from her ordeal.

Piglet was spirited away from her enclosure at the Sea Life Centre back in 2004, and was found in a distressed state by police in the Barrowcliffe area the next day.

Centre staff feared the worst for Humboldt penguin Piglet, however, as the bird was treated with antibiotics after her kidnapping.

The poor penguin was forced to endure further trauma when youths broke into the animals’ compound in 2011, chasing the frightened creatures, who are afraid of human contact, and causing them to go into shock.

But now Piglet and her partner Gonzo have been blessed with some good fortune after penglet Peso arrived in early April.

The baby has not yet been seen by visitors to the Scalby Mills sanctuary as it has remained in the safety of its nesting-box, but is weighed weekly and given regular health checks by staff.

They are hoping Peso will soon venture out into the enclosure to meet the extended penguin ‘family’ of eight other adults in the Scarborough colony - but in the meantime are just happy that the youngster’s mother has bounced back from her foray into the outside world.

“This is a happy ending to the story of one very plucky penguin. The stress of separation and being bundled away to an unfamiliar location could easily have killed Piglet,” said displays supervisor Lyndsey Crawford.