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Commuters amused as missing pygmy goat found at tram platform in Manchester

Julie Swindells has been reunited with her pet pygmy goat after it was found on a Metrolink platform in Manchester.
Julie Swindells has been reunited with her pet pygmy goat after it was found on a Metrolink platform in Manchester. Julie Swindells has been reunited with her pet pygmy goat after it was found on a Metrolink platform in Manchester.

Metrolink passengers were left confused after a wandering pygmy goat named Belle found her way on to a tram platform in Manchester.

The pet has been reunited with her owner, Julie Swindells, after being stolen from her property on Sunday morning.

Ms Swindells, 47, from Mossley, said she “cried her eyes out” when Belle – who was found at Sale Water Park tram stop – was returned.

“I feared the worst and thought she’d been eaten,” she said.

Belle has turned up in sale !!! On my way to pick her up!!Small pygmy goat missing from field @ a well-i-hole farm,…Posted by Julie Swindells on Sunday, March 10, 2019

The goat was discovered by Jamie Williams, a research associate at the University of Leicester, at around 6.55am this morning.

He tweeted: “Goat getting a kid’s ticket at Sale Water Park.”

Belle was later taken in and fed by Manchester charity Dogs 4 Rescue before being returned to Ms Swindells.

Belle is one of three pygmy goats owned by Ms Swindells, including twin brother Jingles and half brother Billy.

Ms Swindells originally bought Belle and her brothers from Reddish Vale School Farm as companions for her horses and to eat the weeds on her 5.5 acre field.

Belle was stolen early on Sunday morning, and thieves left the gates open allowing horses and remaining pygmy goats to escape into the car park behind a locked gate.

Goat is home safe and eating. No idea ref the babies she is supposed to be carrying. Have had posts regarding where she may have come from so hopefully her owners will be in touch soon. What a little beautyPosted by Dogs 4 Rescue on Friday, March 15, 2019

Ms Swindell told PA that her son, Arron Swindells, 29, is checking CCTV for footage of the thieves.

She said: “They would have had to lift her [Belle] over the main gate and there was mud on the gate.”

Transport for Greater Manchester’s head of Metrolink, Danny Vaughan, said: “Thankfully the animal has now been recovered and is safely being looked after so we’ve not had to baa her from the network.”