Search for Eric the Emu's owner after wrong steer for jockey Frankie Dettori

Animal welfare officers are looking to reunite a lost emu - originally believed to belong to jockey Frankie Dettori - with its owner.

The bird, nicknamed Eric, was found wandering up a farm driveway in Kirtling near Newmarket, Suffolk, on Saturday evening.

The RSPCA was contacted and the bird was looked after in a nearby stable.

Dettori, who lives in Newmarket, has an emu of his own and rushed to the scene to recover what he thought was his exotic pet.

But it later emerged his bird was safe at home.

RSPCA officer Jane Folly said: "This must have been quite an unexpected sight for the member of the public - not the sort of animal they normally see walking up their driveway.

"Birds this large can be difficult to catch so we were lucky in this case that he could be secured in the stable. The fact that he is this tame makes me think he is very likely to be someone's missing pet."

A spokeswoman for the Italian jockey told the East Anglian Daily Times: "There can't be that many emus around here and thought it must be ours.

"Frankie careered over there with a horsebox to take it back, but it was not our emu - ours was safely tucked up at home.

"We don't know whose emu it is. It is a lot smaller than ours, that's how he knew, ours is quite big now."

Anyone who knows where the emu belongs should contact the RSPCA on 0300 1238018.