Donkey stunt shocks Russian sunbathers

Sunbathers at a beach in southern Russia were shocked by the sight of a donkey tied to a parasail gliding high above the bay for half an hour.

Witnesses said the animal was braying with fear, and when it landed it was dragged several metres along the water before it was pulled out. Children were in tears, as bystanders filmed the incident and phoned newspapers. But nobody phoned the police.

The stunt, in the village of Golubitskaya, was the work of businessmen who were hoping to attract people to their private beach. They may now face criminal charges for animal cruelty, with a possible two-year prison sentence.