Residents of a small town in Wales have been terrified by a quite unusual culprit after a squirrel went on a two-day rampage that left some people afraid to leave their homes.
Yes, a tiny squirrel.
However, while this might sound like a funny story, it’s actually got quite a dark undertone, because the furry fighter has been indiscriminately attacking older people, children, and pets in the gardens of Buckley, North Wales.
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Dozens of people have received cuts on their hands and heads after they were bitten during vicious attacks by the ‘psycho’ squirrel.
Apparently, the creature has been launching itself at people with ‘frightening speed’ as they left their houses and has even started to chase people down the street.
Eighteen people have been attacked over the course of two days and 21 in total have been attacked since 23 December.
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In the end, the squirrel’s reign of terror was brought to an end when it was caught in a humane trap by 65-year-old resident Corrine Reynolds.
The gran-of-nine has been leaving food out for the animal since the summer and it has been making regular trips to her garden for that reason.
Despite feeding and caring for the squirrel, Corrine herself was bitten on the hand and decided to act after seeing a number of reports of attacks on social media.
She explained: "I noticed yesterday (27 December) that in the space of 48 hours, he has attacked 18 people.
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"He has started attacking people who are just taking there recycling bags to the bin and they are quite gruesome injuries.
"He's not a friendly natured squirrel I am afraid, he is a rogue one and I am starting to wonder if he has got something going on inside his head like a tumour."
"The speed of it is frightening, he dashes from the roof of my garden shed to me - but when he does it [with] everyone else, he bites them.
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"It has even bit an elderly person in the area. On one occasion it chased a lad down the road and then dad was left with a bloody cut on his head.
"The front tooth breaks the skin in a quite lethal way. I still have a scar on my finger.
"He began his rampage last Thursday but became more prolific in the last 48 hours.
"We know of at least 21 victims in total but there must be more because not everybody would have come forward on social media to report it."
Corrine was unable to contact the RSPCA, so has managed to get rid of the squirrel to an out-of-hours vet at a cost of £110.
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The local community has rallied around to pay for removal of the pesky critter.
Corrine continued: "After I caught it in a trap, I put a post on Facebook and because the vet wants £110 we are all chipping in so it can be taken away."
Sheree Robinson, another resident that was attacked, said: "This squirrel is not very nice at all, it's a nutty squirrel. He's a bit of a psycho, he's had five or six of my neighbours.
"He had me when collecting my recycling bags.
"I've got teeth marks on the top and bottom of my finger. It proper latched on and I had to shake it off. He's taken the top layer off my knuckle. His teeth are like pins.
"If my finger doesn't stop bleeding tomorrow, I've got to go for a tetanus.
"I've got a five-year-old myself, and she usually plays out back with her friends. But I've had to say 'sorry, babe, you can't go out until something has happened with it'.
"It's gone wild."
Featured Image Credit: SWNS