Squirrel driving me nuts (With pictures)
By JAMIE PYATT
WHERE does a squirrel hide his nuts ?- all 2,000 of them?
In the ENGINE of David Bowler's car, explaining why it kept conking out.
The amazing hoard was discovered when puzzled David, 69, took his Rover 45 to the garage for a check.
The 18-month-old car had been losing power and mechanics in Fareham, Hants, found the squirrel was using the air filter as a larder.
Garage boss Roger Tupper said: "We were looking for something like a loose nut ?- but could not imagine we'd find this many! Our guys couldn't believe their eyes.
"The nuts had blocked the air intake and stopped air getting into the engine.
"But we removed the nuts and there was no other problem with the car."
The rodent had grabbed the nuts ?- weighing 3.5lbs ?- from a garden bird feeder.
It crawled up the intake pipe when the car was parked in David's garage.
The retired lecturer said his wife Jill was first to notice the car misfiring.
He said: "You couldn't get any speed above 3,000 to 4,000 revs ?- so going uphill was awful.
"I was amazed when they said the problems was nuts.
"I couldn't believe how many there were. It was half a carrier bag full."
Alice Henchley, from Mammal Trust UK, said: "This is another example of just how adaptable and inventive squirrels are."
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