US Edition For days, the members of Barkway Park Golf Club have had to pluck up courage to venture out to play, for fear of being attacked by a 6ft bird reputedly capable of disembowelling a man with a flick of its six-inch claws.
But help is now at hand, after a team of professionals were called in to track down and capture the South American creature, which has become a frequent visitor to the 200 acre course, in north east Hertfordshire, after escaping from a nearby enclosure.
Chris, the runaway rhea, has been spotted in fields near Barkway Golf Club, Hertfordshire (Warren Allott/The Telegraph)
Animal Search UK, a pet detective agency, has begun a dragnet operation in the area to locate Chris, the runaway rhea. The animal, which has been named after Chris Rea, the Road to Hell singer, has been at large for more than a month, after she was spooked by a hunt passing her field in nearby Brent Pelham.
The organisation, which was founded by Tom Watkins, a former police officer, helps to reunite missing pets ranging from hamsters to horses with their owners. After requests from the Daily Telegraph, it sent an investigator, David Goodyear, to start the hunt.
He spent the day in the area, putting up posters, to ensure he received speedy tip-offs about sightings, and scouring the area she was last seen - which includes the 2nd hole - to look for feathers and droppings. He also scoped out locations to leave out lures of dogfood - a favoured snack - for Chris.
Despite Chris’ fearsome reputation, Harrison Wainwright, a schoolboy from the nearby village of Meesden, joined in the search. The eight-year-old said he was so interested by the rhea that he enlisted his mother, Diane, 42, to drive him around looking for it.
Once the creature is located, the idea is to surround her with a 4ft high barrier, the circumference of which can be gradually reduced, until the animal is trapped and can, with the assistance of her owner, be loaded into a vehicle.
With a top speed of 45mph and known for its power, it remains to be seen whether the tactic will prevail on Chris. The detectives warn that they may have to bring in a vet to tranquillise the creature, if she declines to co-operate.
Mr Watkins said: “In the past we’ve located many missing cats, dogs and even parrots using our Missing Pet Search Team and free online lost and found website. However we’ve never been faced with a bird that can run quicker than Usain Bolt.
“The key to reuniting this particular escapee will focus on publicity to gain recent sightings using posters and online coverage, then using food to lure the bird into an area that it can be contained using temporary fencing, while the owner makes their way to the area to reassure and catch the bird.”
Mr Watkins said that because Chris is such a quick and powerful creature, they will need to have more search co-ordinators waiting on standby to widen the search area if needed.
“We’re probably the best organisation in the UK at recovering missing pets with 15 years of experience so I’m confident we can help locate this much loved bird before it comes to any harm,” he added.
For the past fortnight, Chris, a three-year-old female has been a frequent visitor to the golf course, and a common sight to the greenkeepers and players. She appeared most recently on Thursday, near the 2nd hole, where she was spotted by Ann and Bob Barnes, a retired couple from nearby Great Wilbraham. Mrs Barnes, 71, said: “I was just on the green, and I happened to look, and I saw this grey thing. And it started to move, then I thought ‘Oh, it’s that rhea’.” Meanwhile, new video footage of the creature also emerged on Thursday.
Jo Clark, a former showjumper and Page Three model, is the bird’s owner, but has been unable to track down the creature. She said: “I’m pleased somebody is now finally looking for the rhea properly.”
Her son, Charlie, who was at the golf course looking for the bird, added: “We just want to get it back.”
The police and RSPCA have warned the public to stay away from the rhea.