A red squirrel trapped inside a Greggs bakery in Pitlochry has finally been set free.
The shop’s unwelcome furry squatter was successfully released late on Tuesday after three days of giving staff the run-around.
The shop on Atholl Road has been forced to stay closed since the animal was first spotted on Saturday.
The red-haired rodent has shot to fame, with the story picked up across the UK after it was reported by The Courier on Monday.
Greggs has also joined in, posting on social media about its “new wee starter” and changing its profile picture to one of the squirrel.
👋 🐿 pic.twitter.com/ytO2jK39mw
— Greggs (@GreggsOfficial) September 28, 2022
Small crowds of people and TV crews have been spotted gathering at the window of the shop, hoping to catch a glimpse of the new local star.
A spokesperson now says the shop will reopen “squirrel free” later this week.
They said: “After giving us the run-around for a few days, we’ve managed to catch the Greggs squirrel safely and can confirm he’s now back in his natural habitat.
“We thank him for his rather enthusiastic first shift which turned out to be quite the adventure.
“The Pitlochry shop is now closed for a deep clean and will reopen later this week, squirrel free.”
Red squirrels are a protected species, so humane traps had to used to catch it after the animal refused to vacate its new home.
The cheeky squirrel has now been dismissed after a successful rescue mission and released into Faskally Wood on the banks of Loch Dunmore.
It is not known how it came to be in the shop.
Faskally Wood is going under final preparations for the Enchanted Forest, which opens to the public on Thursday.
Tricia Fox, marketing manager of The Enchanted Forest, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, said: “We’re delighted that the Greggs squirrel has been able to join us for the launch of this year’s event and that his new home will be The Enchanted Forest.
“We’ve had celebrities attend the show in the past but none quite so famous as this little chap.
“Faskally Wood offers him 365 hectares of woodlands to explore, 25 recorded species of trees and, of course, the magnificent Loch Dunmore on which our main light show takes place.
“You could say they couldn’t have ‘Dun-more’ for the little guy!”
Conversation