A couple found an otter sleeping in their bed after it broke in through their pet gate and trashed their holiday home. Linda Goldie, 73, and her husband Peter, 70, were relaxing at their holiday home in Skinburness, Cumbria, when the intruder snuck inside unnoticed.
The cheeky creature squeezed through the bars of the couple's pet gate designed to stop their cat Millie from escaping. On its way to have a snooze, the otter caused havoc in the living room, scattering cushions and knocking off a candle holder.
It had also helped itself to some of Millie's cat food and was later sick on the carpet. Linda, a retired town clerk, was reading a book in her conservatory when she heard the commotion indoors, and assumed it was Millie.
Peter went into her bedroom to investigate, and to his utter disbelief discovered the brazen otter curled up asleep on their bed. Linda, a grandma-of-two from Shildon, County Durham, said: "My husband had told me that he had seen an otter in the garden and it had just ran off.
"I wasn't really concerned at first- I just went into the conservatory to read my book. I remember hearing a rattle at the pet gate, and now I look back it must have been the otter.
"Peter went in to check on Millie, and found the house in a right mess. The cushions were everywhere, the candle set was in pieces on the floor and there was sick on the carpet.
"That's when he went in to the bedroom and found the otter asleep on our bed. He walked out and told me and I couldn't believe it - it was such a shock to us both!"
With the help of a man who they'd hired to clean their oven that day, Peter, a retired site manager, shooed the otter off their bed and down on to the carpet.
But it didn't leave quickly, instead hiding under Linda's dresser for a while - forcing Peter to get a stick from outside to hurry it along. The otter then casually strolled down the hallway and walked out the front door - still nosing about the house as it went.
"I was terrified because I thought it was going to come out at 100mph - but it just got off the bed and went under the dressing table," said Linda.
"Then it sauntered down the hall like it owned the place - it was hilarious! I've washed the sheets and had the carpets cleaned since its impromptu visit.
"The cat was really frightened, but we're just thankful they didn't cross paths as that could have ended very badly."
