A supposed crocodile sighting in a Derbyshire canal has ended in amusement rather than alarm, after police discovered the creature was not a live reptile — but a hay-stuffed taxidermy model.
Derbyshire Police’s rural crime team described the incident as “the strangest appeal ever to grace our Facebook page.” The alarm was raised on Thursday when a passer-by reported what appeared to be a crocodile dumped in the water at Willington.
In their initial appeal, officers joked about the reptile’s unlikely presence in the English Midlands, writing, “We’re going to go out on a limb and guess this little guy isn’t native to Derbyshire.” They also invited anyone with information about “the crocodile’s whereabouts” to get in touch.
After online commenters noted the animal’s lifeless appearance, the police clarified that “although we cannot claim to be medical professionals, we are acutely aware the crocodile is deceased.”
The mystery was resolved the following day when a member of the public came forward to explain that the “crocodile” was in fact a taxidermy specimen stuffed with hay — accidentally hooked while fishing.
“We can now confirm the mystery has been solved,” officers wrote, adding with characteristic humour that the situation turned out to be “more fluff than fear.”
The light-hearted post quickly went viral, drawing laughter and relief from social media users. One commenter summed up the public mood: “Brilliant! Really made me smile once it was revealed what it was. I can imagine it gave you all a bit of a shock.”
