Story highlights
Squirrel stops plays at second-tier English football game
Championship match between QPR and Leicester halted for two minutes
A squirrel also invaded Loftus Road pitch in March 2012
Stoppages due to injuries and fouls are routine in football matches, but it’s not often squirrels stop play.
But that’s what happened on Saturday at a second-tier English football match between Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City at Loftus Road in London.
The grey squirrel invaded the pitch during Leicester’s 1-0 win, forcing the game to be stopped for a couple of minutes.
QPR’s website said Leicester City forward David Nugent and QPR captain skipper Clint Hill did their best to chase away the rodent, before play resumed.
Squirrels seem particularly fond of the Loftus Road grass – in March 2012 one turned up when QPR played Everton in an English Premier League game.
Soon afterwards a Twitter account – @QPRSquirrel1 – was set up. Including the hashtag – NUTS – in its profile and the account now has 214 followers.
Squirrels are not the only animals to have invaded English football pitches in recent years.
A cat popped up at Liverpool’s home ground against Tottenham in February 2012.
Nicknamed the “Anfield Cat” it too found Twitter fame – @Anfield Cat has over 58,000 followers.
Grey squirrels were not native to Britain but spread rapidly across the country after being introduced from the United States and Canada around the start of the 20th century.
