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Video by Nick Greenwood

Littleborough was gripped by a llama drama last night after a pet went on the run.

Calista, a female rescue llama, escaped from a field at Ealees at about 6pm after being scared by a dog.

The terrified creature was then spotted by dozens of motorists as it ran around the streets of the town.

Owner Dan Taylor eventually managed to track her down near Hollingworth Lake at about midnight, before calming her down and walking her back home.

Mr Taylor, 48, has 19 of the creatures - native to South America - which he keeps as pets on the family farm.

He believes Calista, one of 14 females in the herd, ran away after a dog got into the field and started to chase her.

Mr Taylor, who runs a granite fitting firm, said: “She was very frightened and it will take her a long time to get over this.

“All of them were very spooked by the dog. They are very timid and friendly creatures and this kind of thing really upsets them.

“I would really urge dog owners not to let their animals out loose in the area as they are not allowed in the field.”

(Image: Emma-Jayne Richardson)

Mr Taylor started to take in the camel-like animals after the last of his family’s pet ponies died and has re-homed unwanted llamas from all over the country.

He added: “They make wonderful pets.

“They are very affectionate and loving. They do have a pecking order though so you have to make sure you feed the correct ones first or it causes and upset.”

The sight of the creature running amok on the streets of Littleborough drew some confused stares from passers by.

Dan added: “It’s not the kind of thing you see every day, people were looking at me with strange expressions when I eventually walked her home.”

Emma-Jayne Richardson took this picture of the animal near the Wine Press.

She said: “My fiancée and I saw it outside our house on Ealees Road.

“Then we were heading to the beach and it was running in front of the car ahead of us. I was concerned for its wellbeing as it was in the road in the fog.

The lady in front of us pulled in at the Wine Press and put a post on discussing Littleborough. It was on the Wine Press car park at that point. We see the llamas on Ealees often so we knew where it had come from.”