GUEST BLOGGER FLEUR FULCHER:ROCKY RACOON STEPPED INTO HIS ROOM ONLY TO FIND A WATER PISTOL...

Hooray for the irrepressable Miss Fleur Fulcher. She turned up unnanounced at the 2008 Weird Weekend, and seemed to somehow stroll around the place causing high strangeness wherever she trod. The nearest analogue any of us have ever met to a real-world version of J.K.Rowling's Luna Lovegood, we have persuaded her to occasionally step out of her wardrobe full of pretty frocks and strange inhabitants in order to give us her insight upon the natural world. Yesterday she spat venom at Sarah Palin. Today she waxes lyrical about a lost raccoon..

Those among you who think that bird watching is a boring hobby can learn something from the experience of David and Ena Webber from Christchurch. Deciding to join in the RSPB big bird watch this year they got more than they expected. But the startling visitor to their attractive garden was not of the winged type. Gazing back at Ena from one of their trees was a charming looking spectacled chap who looked very much at home.

Thinking at first it was just an odd looking neighbourhood moggy Ena fired a water pistol at it (good for her!) thinking it would stop the creature from scaring her feathered friends. Apparently it was at this point that she realised what it was, as it looked unimpressed about its wet awakening, it gave her a look that she thought meant “Stop it, I want to go back to sleep”. Left alone whilst Ena phoned the local police the racoon decided against making an escape and stayed perched in the cosy tree.

The police, on arrival, tried to coax the little chap from the tree with an apple on a stick. This did not work so the RSPCA were called. By this time the racoon had decided he wanted to go somewhere a little less crowded and left with the RSPCA. Apparently there are no reports of a missing racoon in the area, but as he was obviously well fed and cared for it is thought he is a recent escapee.

This little chap is not the first raccoon to be found roaming the UK, since 2007 you can keep them as a pet without even needing a license.

In 2003 one was found sitting on a shed roof in Penzance and in 2004 a Coati was seen a dozen times ambling around the lake district. So next time you fancy a bit or ornithology you might get a little more than you bargained for!