Otter caught wandering around supermarket in CCTV footage

The water-dwelling animal strolled in off the streets

An otter was caught on camera running around the aisles of an Irish supermarket.

Staff at Mr Price in Swinford, County Mayo, had an eventful day when the normally secretive mammal slipped in off the street and strolled past the tills.

In CCTV footage of the incident, which took place on 13 November, employees at the bargain store can be seen trying to corner the animal as it continues to navigate its way around the shop floor.

An animal charity eventually came to the rescue the water-dwelling animal, which along with badgers, stoats, minks and pine marten, belongs to the Mustelid family.

Store manager Cathy Nolan told RTE News that the animal expert informed her that the otter was suffering from an infection and a temperature and was also close to starvation when it was found.

She added: “She is now nursing him back to health with all her other animals.”

As a thank you for their help, the store put together a hamper of treats and accessories from their pet aisle to send to the charity.

This is not the first time a rogue otter has stumbled into a supermarket in County Mayo.

In March 2017 a disorientated otter entered a branch of Tesco. It had travelled from a nearby Lough Lannagh, crossing a number of busy roads along the route.

Otters are nocturnal hunters so it is unusual to see them on land during the day.