Otter surprise down the street (From This is Hampshire)

Otter surprise down the street

10:31am Wednesday 19th March 2008 in

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OTTERS may have set up home in Overton for the first time following a sighting in the centre of the village last week.

Several people have confirmed they saw an otter in Winchester Street at about 8pm on Wednesday night. Staff from HART Wildlife Rescue, based in Dellands, carried out a search shortly after but it could not be found.

They now believe otters could be living on the River Test nearby.

Terry Robinson saw the animal. He said: "It came down the middle of the road following the white lines and then went back up toward the community centre. I could see it quite clearly and it was definitely an otter."

Alongside several other witnesses, Mr Robinson halted passing cars during an effort to find the elusive beast.

HART trustee Bob Gibbs said the sighting came as a shock.

He added: "I thought the furthest up the River Test they have been seen was near Winchester, so to have them establish a home in Overton would be a really lovely surprise.

"It must have walked quite a way to get to Winchester Street though, so why it had done that is a mystery."