A festive celebration in Merseyside turned into a dramatic overnight search after a reindeer made a daring escape, prompting a major multi-agency response involving armed police and military personnel.
The Great Reindeer Escape
The incident began on Saturday afternoon at Santa's Enchanted Forest in Formby, Merseyside. The reindeer, named Buddy who hails from north Wales, became overexcited and managed to jump his enclosure. Merseyside Police confirmed they first received reports that the animal was on the loose at around 1.45pm.
Fearing for the reindeer's safety, particularly that he might end up in a river, the police force escalated the search. They called in support from HM Coastguard teams to help track the fugitive festive creature across the local coastline and dunes.
Multi-Agency Night Search
The operation to find Buddy grew to include an unexpected array of emergency and military resources. Armed police officers were deployed, alongside members of the Royal Marines who were working at a nearby firing range. Southport Lifeboat station also became involved, using a lifeboat quad bike to navigate the challenging terrain of the sand dunes.
The breakthrough came in the early hours of Sunday morning. Buddy was finally located, not far from where he had gone missing, fast asleep in the sand dunes on Formby Beach. He was spotted using a pair of thermal binoculars, technology typically reserved for more serious search and rescue missions.
Safe Return After Festive Adventure
Once located, a careful operation began to ensure Buddy's safe return. A vet was called to the scene and administered sedatives to the resting reindeer, a procedure assisted by the Royal Marines. Buddy was then placed in a trailer and transported back to his stable, concluding his unexpected adventure.
Steve Howard, owner of Santa's Enchanted Forest, provided some insight into Buddy's character. He described the young reindeer as 'full of beans' and explained that the animal loves children, especially when they hand-feed him moss. "I think he was just doing a trial run for Christmas Eve," Mr Howard quipped.
The event has hosted reindeer for about seven years, and this was the first escape of its kind. Southport Lifeboat declared that "Christmas is saved thanks to some great work from multiple agencies." Buddy's owners confirmed the reindeer is now back in north Wales where he is 'safe, warm and snuggled up' and will be 'taking it easy for the rest of the year'.
