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'Mystery creature' crossing road on CCTV 'was an otter'

Rob Walker Swaffham creatureRob Walker
The creature was captured crossing Swaffham Market Place in the small hours of Thursday

An appeal on social media has helped identify a nocturnal rambler crossing a Norfolk road in the early hours.

A wildlife expert has said he thinks the streetwise animal captured by a CCTV camera in Swaffham was an otter.

A council official tweeted the image, caught at 01:55 BST, with the plea: "Help us identify our guest!"

A Norfolk Wildlife Trust spokesman said the mystery creature appears to be an otter - and said it was not unheard of them for them to be in an urban area.

"It's unusual - but not unheard of," said senior conservation officer John Hiskett.

"They'll wander away from water looking for food. Most likely this one has travelled from a nearby pond."

Rob Walker of Breckland District Council, who posted the picture taken by a camera overlooking the Market Place, said he didn't know what it was at first.

"It's not exactly what you'd expect to see on CCTV, but it's wonderful to be able to catch it in the middle of one of our market towns," he said.

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