Escaped llamas and alpacas that caused traffic drama on the A66 have been rescued and returned safely home.
Alpacaly Ever After, a community interest company based near Troutbeck, own the 30 animals, and had to rush to get them after a customer buying sausages told them the alpacas were running up the A66.
Company owner Terry Barlow said him and his team managed to retrieve the animals after they travelled a significant distance up the road.
The animals came loose on Monday from farm shop Basecamp North Lakes, where Alpacaly is based.
Terry said: “It was a bit of a mad day. It was coming to around five o’clock when we had a customer come in buying sausages he buys every week and after he purchased them he told me the alpacas were running up the road, which we couldn’t believe.
“Hearing that news we got the staff together and chased the alpacas about a half mile up the road.”
Terry added that after inspecting the field, it appeared as though a vehicle had crashed into the fence, creating a large hole that went unreported.
As a result, the animals decided to make a great escape towards Penrith.
Terry said: “We’re not going to be using that field for a bit. The cause of the incident is a massive hole in the fence, someone has basically come off the A66 and driven their car through the fence and not told us about it.
“The fence line cost us a massive amount of money last year around £12,000 and basically it has gone super wobbly and we need to get it repaired.
“I just want to say a massive thank you to everyone on the A66 who stopped their cars and actually helped me get the alpacas back in. The staff from the Basecamp and Alpacaly team were amazing and we go the alpacas home safely and unhurt.”
He added that Rosie, one of the team’s llamas took ‘full advantage’ of the situation, by putting her head through every car window to kiss the drivers.
Alpacaly Ever After rehomes alpacas and llamas from all over the country to give them a new, safe home. They also offer accessible meet and greet and walking experiences.
