Police called to reports of a 'tiger' on the loose in Oldham - only to find stuffed toy

Officers were sent to the scene - before realising that they were confronting a far less fearsome villain. Credit: Greater Manchester Police

Police were alerted to a very strange call by a concerned resident in Oldham - which ended up as a huge misunderstanding.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were contacted by a resident who said they saw a tiger loose in nearby gardens, pawing the grass.

When officers were dispatched to attend the scene, they soon realised they were not confronting a huge beast - but a toy tiger.

Lovingly named as "Tony the Tiger", officers are not sure how Tony ended up in his suspicious place.

A spokesperson from GMP Oldham said: "Officers arrived quickly and after evaluating the situation agreed it was in fact not a real animal but a toy - Tony The Tiger!"Tony the Tiger was asked for a comment about Oldham police he said: 'They're grrrrrrrreat!'"Tony is now safely booked into property at Oldham Police station."