'Shy but loving' skunk Buddy goes on the run

An animal lover said she was trying to remain "hopeful and positive" after her "very loving and playful" pet skunk went missing.

Buddy the skunk vanished on Friday after digging his way out of Emily Tilbrook's family farm in Creeting St Mary, Suffolk, near the A140.

Despite the best efforts of an animal search and rescue team, the "very chunky" black and white mammal remains at large.

"We are looking for him every day but he could literally be anywhere," Ms Tilbrook told BBC Radio Suffolk.

Buddy became Ms Tilbrook's pet after she saw him in a shop while out with her friends in 2023 and "instantly fell in love".

Since then he has enjoyed life on 25 acres of farmland, eating everything from cooked chicken and berries to worms and vegetables.

"He is very shy around new people and other animals and scared of loud noises, but he bonded with me and my partner and he is just a little darling," added Ms Tilbrook.

After going missing, the animal search and rescue charity Drone To Home was deployed to the area to see if it could locate Buddy.

Despite using drones and thermo-imaging technology and conducting an extensive search, the team was unable to locate him.

Ms Tilbrook said: "I am very upset but my partner has taken it much harder than myself because he really had a bond with Buddy."

Anyone who spots Buddy has been advised to "not shout, chase or grab him" but to instead report the sighting to Drone to Home.

Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.