Primary school on lockdown as wolf escapes from Beenham wildlife sanctuary

A Berkshire school has been placed on lockdown after a wolf escaped from a nearby wildlife sanctuary.

A member of the public reported to that the animal had got out of the UK Wolf Conservation Trust, based at Butlers Farm in Beenham, near Reading.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "Officers have sight of the wolf and are working with staff from the sanctuary to detain it."

There have been reported sightings of the wolf in Curridge, a village around eight miles away from Beenham.

Police have warned people not to approach the animal if they spot it.
Local school Beenham Primary tweeted: "Thank you @TVP_WestBerks for keeping us updated this morning on the escaped wolf.

"We love having the wolf sanctuary as neighbours and hope this beautiful creature is returned safely soon."

In a statement to Sky News, the school, which has 73 pupils, said: "The school is in lockdown - and will remain so until the police tell us otherwise."

Tony Roe, 53, who lives nearby, said a police officer at the school told him a fence at the sanctuary had blown down, which led to the wolf's escape.
Sian Champkin, whose husband works at Elstree Independent Boys Preparatory School in nearby Woolhampton, said pupils have been told not to go outside.

The 37-year-old said: "He phoned me to tell me about it because we have a child, a dog and a cat, and not to go outside. The sanctuary is about a mile away as the crow flies.

"I was slightly shocked, nothing like this has ever happened before."

The sanctuary, established in 1995, has 10 Arctic and northwestern wolves, living in four packs.