A sad-looking donkey pictured at a bus stop was returned home by police who joked it was trying to run off to the seaside to start a new career on the beach.
Officers from North Yorkshire Police were called by a passerby who had spotted little Murphy grazing on the central reservation of the A64 near Whitwell, North Yorks.
A spokesman for the force said they discovered the donkey had escaped from a field that he shares with a llama and a flock of sheep.
Murphy was checked over and taken back to the field by his owner where he settled down for a rest after an eventful morning.
Sign up to our new free Indy100 weekly newsletter
SWNS
The spokesman said: "We know he looks a bit sad in the photo but rest assured Murphy was checked over and is absolutely fine, probably just upset that his adventure had been curtailed.
"We’re not sure whether Murphy just fancied a tasty snack on the central reservation – they do say the grass is always greener on the other side…
"Or perhaps he was considering catching a bus to Scarborough to start a new career on the beach?"
Social media users loved the story of his adventure, with one woman saying ‘he looks guilty’ while another joked: "Can I have him if not reclaimed?”
Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.