Rodney the emu sent police on a five-hour rescue mission after he escaped from his west Suffolk home. 

The 11-month-old emu jumped the fence at his home in Chedburgh in the middle of the night on Thursday, April 13. 

Jon and Laura Cardy who own Rodney had to cut short their first holiday in years after their pet emu decided to take a tour of the village. 

East Anglian Daily Times: Jon and Laura Cardy. Picture: SWNSJon and Laura Cardy. Picture: SWNS (Image: SWNS)

The pair drove back from Northamptonshire to help look for Rodney after receiving a call from their pet-sitter. 

At around 11.30am he received a message on a community WhatsApp group, asking if someone had lost their bird, which he instantly recognised as Rodney.

He quickly reached Rodney who had managed to make it about a mile away from home and coaxed him to the car with some tempting treats.

Mr cardy said: "I put some of his favourite food down on the ground in front of me and he came to me without too much difficulty.

“He came over and he let me put my arms round his neck and cuddle him and stroke him and I managed to get him into the car to take him home.

East Anglian Daily Times: Rodney with police officer after running away. Picture: SWNSRodney with police officer after running away. Picture: SWNS (Image: SWNS)

“I think what happened was that there was a storm here on Wednesday night and he got spooked and must have hurdled over one of the fences.

“He was definitely here on Wednesday evening when our friend shut everything up and put all the animals to bed.

“But when she turned up early on Thursday morning he was not, so at some point in the night he went on an adventure.

“He has on occasion escaped before and gone on adventures but not quite that far and we’ve found him pretty quickly.

"This one was a bit more worrying.”