Runaway iguana rescued from pub after scaling roof for a sunbathing session

Ronnie sailed up the walls of the Ship Inn to get a good spot (Picture: PA)

Ronnie the runaway pet iguana had to be rescued by firefighters after being discovered sunbathing on a pub roof in Kent.

Emergency services scaled the heights of the boozer in Folkestone, where Ronnie was just getting settled in for an afternoon of relaxation, seemingly oblivious to his owner’s panic.

The great escape to his local – which many humans may sympathise with on a Monday lunchtime – came via a nearby window from his home.

The lizard appears to have sailed up the Ship Inn’s walls before finding himself the perfect spot to bask in the September sun.

Firecrews used an aerial ladder and a drop net in the unusual operation, which could perhaps be seen as a more slippery affair than rescuing the occasional cat from a tree.

‘RunawayRonnie’, as he has now become known, was then safely returned to his unnamed owner’s arms.

Firefighters were assisted by RSPCA staff in ensuring the herbivore’s wellbeing during the rescue in East Street, Folkestone Harbour.

Ronnie made it to the roof of the pub in Monday’s warm lunchtime sun (Picture: PA)

The tropical lizard seemed content on the Folkestone roof (Picture: PA)

David Grant, an inspector from the organisation, said: ‘It’s the first time I’ve ever been called out to rescue an iguana, particularly one on the loose on a roof.

‘He’d climbed right to the top of the house and was sunbathing on the roof ridge. We didn’t want him to run off by frightening him unnecessarily, so we used my drop-net to capture him and we soon had him back on the ground.

‘Thankfully, he hadn’t suffered any ill effects from his rooftop adventure and I was soon able to reunite him with his grateful owners who lived below.

‘It could have ended very differently, so I would like to thank Kent Fire & Rescue for all their expert help.’

Ronnie had managed to give his unnamed owner the slip via an open window (Picture: PA)

Ronnie made it back into his owner’s arms (Picture: PA)

On Twitter, Kent Fire and Rescue Service added: ‘It’s not every day you rescue an iguana from a pub roof but that is exactly what our crews & @offical-RSPCA responded to in #Folkestone earlier.

‘#RunawayRonnie had escaped from a nearby window & scaled the pub walls.

‘We’re glad to say he’s safely back in the arms of his owner.’

For more information from the RSPCA on how to care for exotic pets, click here.

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