Butthead is back home

10:33am Sunday 29th July 2007

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A pigmy goat missing for almost a month has been returned to his owners after being found in a field more than ten miles from home.

The diminutive Butthead, the three feet tall star attraction at Lincolnsfield's Farmyard Funworld, was reported stolen at the end of June when his horrified keepers found him missing from his fenced enclosure.

Hertfordshire police mounted an investigation but the beast's owners believed they would never see him again, fearing him lost to professional thieves or even the cooking pot.

However, Butthead, aged ten, was returned fit and well on Sunday after the owner of the land, in Harefield, recognised him from a previous article in the Watford Observer.

Centre manager Francis McLennan said: "The woman who brought him back to us had seen him there for a few days and had been feeding him. But then she saw the article and got in contact with us.

"At first I thought it was a joke because I really never thought I'd see him again. Everybody is delighted he's back.

"But without the Watford Observer we definitely wouldn't have got him back."

Mystery still surrounds the disappearance but Mr McLennan is convinced thieves are to blame.

He added: "Somebody must have taken him and then released him for whatever reason. He couldn't have got to that field on his own. He would have had to cross two motorways and get over the fence.

"Somebody either took him for breeding or to eat him - but he's a tough old goat and really wouldn't have tasted very nice at all.

"He seems to be fine and his girls the farm's female goats are pleased to have him back. They've been making a lot of noise together."