Has ‘Rab’ the missing Ballymena raccoon come to Ballycastle?

This creature was spotted on Ann Street in Ballycastle on Tuesday evening at about 7pm. It would appear to be a raccoon and there was a Raccoon missing recently from the Ballymena Area. PICTURE RICHARD MCNABB/MCAULEY MULTIMEDIA BALLYCASTLE.

Now, it looks like ‘Rab’ the missing raccoon may have gone to Ballycastle on his holidays!

Back in August, the creature made an audacious escape from a Ballymena pet shop by scraping away mortar and getting out through the cavity in the wall.

Around six weeks later there was a spotting of the raccoon - now nicknamed Rab - at a house in Ballymena but since then, nothing.

Until, that is, Ballycastle man Richard McNabb spotted something that looked very much like Rab at Ann Street in the town last week. He managed to grab a quick photo of the creature which was seen in Ann Street.

Times reader, Margaret Reid, commented on our Facebook page that she, too, had spotted a mysterious creature in Ann Street.

“Saw it last night (Wednesday) coming from Beech Green in Ann St, about 7pm. At the time I thought it was a badger,” she said.

A PSNI Wildlife Officer said: “Members of the public are advised that the raccoon is defined as a dangerous wild animal and so it shouldn’t be approached. If you do see the racoon call police on the non-emergency number 101.”