POLICE stopped a driver for having two bald tyres - and found a sheep in the boot.

North Yorkshire Police Roads Policing Group posted a picture of the offending Peugeot 206 on Twitter, complete with the unusual passenger.

 

When questioned about why the sheep was in the car, the driver said he was taking it to McDonald's for a takeaway.

A spokeswoman for North Yorkshire Police said: "He told the officer that 'some people take their dogs in their cars, I take my sheep'.

"He just wanted to go for a drive-through at McDonald's."

The driver was stopped shortly after a visit to Leeming Bar services in North Yorkshire on Wednesday night.

Traffic Constables Chris Marlow and Emma Bainbridge had been alerted by a woman who saw the large sheep in the small car in the McDonald's drive-through. On stopping the car they found it also had two bald tyres.

TC Marlow said: “It was a little surprising to see it in such a small car - but this is rural North Yorkshire.

“People do some odd things that they think are perfectly normal. The sheep didn't look in distress and was quite secure so we didn't have an issue with it.”

He said the driver was unfazed by the police reaction and appeared to think there was nothing odd about his actions.

“He seemed fine to be honest – although he obviously felt a little sheepish when we pointed out the two bald tyres,” said TC Marlow.

“He didn't seem to think it was strange to take a sheep through the drive-through - and we even joked with him that he was mean because he hadn't even bought her a McFlurry.”

The officers ruled out booking the driver for an insecure load after deciding it was no worse than having a large dog in the back.

The sheep came from the driver’s farm and the driver was given a ticket and allowed to drive home.