A FATHER of two has told how he was attacked by a ferret as he slept in his York home.

Paul Greenwood, 45, fell asleep on the sofa in his home in Bramham Avenue with the door ajar and said he was woken in the early hours of the morning when he felt something bite his foot.

Mr Greenwood, a bricklayer, said he reached down and the animal bit his hand.

When he turned the light on, he realised a large ferret was clamped on to his hand.

“It was that hot I thought I would have a rest and I must have fallen asleep,” he said.

“At about 2am I felt this bite. I tried to brush it off and that’s when it bit my hand.

“I was screaming like a little girl. My son came down the stairs.

“It was absolutely mental. The ferret was massive. It was a big thing.”

Mr Greenwood, a father-of-two, managed to shake the ferret from his hand after about 20 seconds.

He said the animal then grabbed and savaged his television remote control.

Mr Greenwood said he suffered puncture wounds to his hand and there was blood all over the room.

The ferret was eventually shepherded from the house following the incident early yesterday morning.

Mr Greenwood said he had not sought medical treatment as he has had s tetanus injection.

It is believed the animal might have been an escaped pet.

An RSPCA spokesperson said they would not like to speculate on the incident which they said was very unusual.

The spokesperson said: “Fortunately, this sort of incident is very uncommon. Ferrets are naturally inquisitive, like to explore and have become quite popular pets for their charming and cheeky character, but they can bite.”