Firefighters grapple with emu

Underneath this mass of firefighters is an emu that had done a runner in Mangawhai.

Firefighters managed to wrangle an emu on that was on the run in Mangawhai today after being startled and fleeing its paddock.

Members of the Mangawhai and Kaiwaka volunteer fire brigades were nearby and had a small grass fire extinguished when they got the call to contain the large flightless bird.

They managed to get the emu - named Mr Emu - back home, but not without a fight.

Read more in tomorrow's Northern Advocate.