An animal sanctuary boss has been slapped with £100 fine after her emu escaped for 30 minutes.

Amey James, who runs Happy Pants Ranch off Iwade Road in Bobbing, had to ditch her Wetherspoon’s curry after the large flightless bird – named Dougie – was seen on the loose last week.

The seven-year-old Aussie native had escaped through a fence panel blown down by strong winds.

Amey said: “I was in the middle of my curry and got a phone call saying there’s an emu in Iwade Road. Straight away I thought ‘it’s got to be Dougie’ because I don’t know any other emus around here.”

Dougie has lived at the sanctuary, which is home to some 400 animals, for five years after he outgrew his home in Sevenoaks.

Amey added: “He didn’t go far, bless him. Luckily he’s tame and friendly.

“As soon as he heard my voice, he came. I opened the gates and he followed – which was very lucky. He’s a very good emu, he’s a little bit naughty for going out but he’s grounded now anyway.”

Despite finding Dougie less than an hour after his great escape, Amey has now received a fine from Swale council over the incident.

She said: “You get one every time an animal gets out and someone reports it.

“Dougie escaped because the bad weather and high winds damaged the fence of the field he is kept in, but that doesn't seem to matter to the council.

“I can't have permanent fencing here either as we're still fighting to be here permanently as a charity.”

The sanctuary has been locked in a battle to stay at the site for several years, following noise complaints from neighbours.

The animal lover explained the fine is a big blow to finances, adding: “One hundred pounds of cat food would last us a month or it could buy three bales of hay and even cover some of our vet bills.

“The ironic thing is that the day after the escape we responded to a rhea, another large flightless bird, on the loose, and as no one claimed it the animal is now living on the ranch with us.

“No one would have got a fine for that but as Dougie was on the loose for 30 minutes and someone reported it, we have been struck with the £100 bill.”

A council spokesman said: “We have a duty to investigate any complaints we receive, and we always try to work with all those involved to resolve the situation in an amicable manner.

“However, due to a number of incidents involving animals escaping, we have issued a fine to the Happy Pants Ranch.

“As with any type of enforcement there is an opportunity for the recipient to put mitigating factors forward for the offence, and those will be considered.”