BUDLEIGH Salterton police were last week faced with a stranger on the seafront who was refusing to move.
BUDLEIGH Salterton police were last week faced with a stranger on the seafront who was refusing to move.
The town's neighbourhood beat team was told by a member of public that a gannet was sitting on the seafront path and would not budge.
When neighbourhood beat manger PC David Lea took stock of the situation he was forced to call for back-up from a colleague - and a large police jacket to throw over the in-situ bird.
When the officers returned a small crowd had gathered to watch the action.
The gannet came quietly after the two officers made a pincer movement, and threw the jacket over the bird.
The officers whisked the squatter off to custody at Budleigh Salterton police station.
A police spokesman said: "Despite an attempted attack on PC Gary Gates through the coat, both officers were unharmed and the bird was fine."
The RSPCA was notified and later collected the bird.
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