Officers from North Yorkshire Police were called by a passer-by who had spotted little Murphy grazing on the central reservation of the A64 near Whitwell, North Yorks.

A spokesman for the force said they discovered the donkey had escaped from a field that he shares with a llama and a flock of sheep.

Murphy was checked over and taken back to the field by his owner where he settled down for a rest after an eventful morning.

While the donkey looked sad, police reassured the public he had been checked over and was absolutely fine

The spokesman said: "We know he looks a bit sad in the photo but rest assured Murphy was checked over and is absolutely fine, probably just upset that his adventure had been curtailed.

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"We’re not sure whether Murphy just fancied a tasty snack on the central reservation – they do say the grass is always greener on the other side…

"Or perhaps he was considering catching a bus to Scarborough to start a new career on the beach?"

Social media users loved the story of his adventure, with one woman saying ‘he looks guilty’ while another joked: "Can I have him if not reclaimed?”

'Sad' donkey found at bus stop returned home by police who joked it was trying to run off to the seaside