Residents of a quiet village have been baffled by sightings of a strange and very large rodent by a stream, but an estate agent has solved the mystery.

Local newspaper the Rutland and Stamford Mercury received pictures from readers of a capybara which is at large in Empingham in the east midlands.

The animals are native to South America and described as the world’s largest rodent, reaching 2ft tall.

Vernon Moore, managing director of Moores Estate Agents, solved the mystery after revealing that the Labrador-sized rat was his and had escaped from the private menagerie at his home in Wymondham.

He told the newspaper: “I acquired two capybaras as babies last year. They are brothers and were getting along fine until recently when they reached maturity and started getting territorial and fighting.

“It seems the bigger of the two forced his brother out. He managed to escape by forcing his way through a wire fence.

“He is friendly and won’t hurt anyone. They feel happy in and around water and this one has been in Empingham for several weeks.

“I hope to have him collected within a few days.

“He is so big and powerful you couldn’t just grab him.”