PERCY the vegetarian piranha is baffling aquarium staff.

When someone broke into the council-run natural history centre at Caldervale Park, Todmorden, they didn't steal anything, they just left the extra fish in one of the tanks!

The raider forced open the back door of the aquarium and left the tropical fish, which is the size of a dinner plate.

Percy - as the fish has been named by staff - is thought to be a pacu, a vegetarian cousin of the piranha. It is so big it cannot properly turn round in the tank.

Mark Pearson, a Calderdale Council gardener who was in charge of looking after the fish and reptiles at the centre at the weekend, said an adult pacu could weigh 30lb and grow up to 4ft in length.

He said: "It was not there when I cleaned out the tanks at about 3pm on Friday. I went out on other duties and when I returned about 40 minutes later there he was."

Percy has been put in another temporary tank while efforts are made to find him a new home.

Mark said: "At the moment we don't have a tank here big enough for him, though he seems quite happy and lively and is eating."

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