Police probe origins of loose rhea bird in Britain

April 16 (UPI) -- Police responding to an unusual call in Britain ended up helping to capture a large flightless bird that apparently escaped from somewhere in the area.

The South Staffordshire Police said they responded Monday night to a report of an ostrich on the loose in Wombourne and arrived to find a wandering rhea bird -- a smaller cousin of the ostrich.

"Well last year we had the Wombourne Wallaby tonight we have the Wombourne Rhea (Ostritch) every day is certainly different," the department tweeted.

Police said the rhea was captured "after a brief foot chase" and authorities are now trying to determine where it escaped from.