A PRINTING factory ground to a halt as workers tried to catch a ferret on the loose.

At first staff did not believe their eyes when the animal scurried underneath a table and then a printing press at Oxfordshire Print, on the Oakfields Industrial Estate, Eynsham.

When the ferret poked his head out, four workers, including sales manager Simon Ridler, devoted 20 minutes to catching the creature.

Mr Ridler said: “We are not sure where he came from – he just suddenly appeared in the office and darted underneath the press.

“He stayed under there for a while and no one believed that he was under there, then he poked his head out.”

The factory — which prints leaflets and booklets — was shut down while workers managed to capture the male ferret and put it in a cat box with food and water.

Mr Ridler is pictured with colleague Cath Parkinson by the machine where the ferret was found.

Mr Ridler said: “He was not aggressive and certainly didn’t seem to be scared, so I am pretty confident that he wasn’t wild.”

The RSPCA, which is now looking after the animal, has appealed for anyone with any information to ring them on 0300 1234 999