Mechanic in Ipswich surprisingly finds rabbit in in car bonnet while fixing vehicle

A mechanic working in Suffolk was stunned by a furry animal while finding a fault with a customer's car.

Matthew Rolfe, a workshop technician at Avanti Avanti Autos garage in Ipswich, was stunned when he opened the bonnet to find a hungry rabbit staring at him.

It is thought the famished animal had crawled into the engine bay to nibble at the wire insulation which is made from vegetable fibres.

Mr Rolfe had been asked to investigate the issue after an engine light came on in a Ford S-Max taken to his garage.

After finding frayed wiring and suspecting a steering sensor fault, the mechanic was shocked to discover the culprit was as a natural one with two big ears.

Mr Rolfe said: "I have to say, it was a bit of a shock to see a pair of eyes peeping out from behind the engine.

"I grabbed a pair of sturdy gloves and managed to pull the full-size, adult rabbit from inside the engine. We occasionally hear of animals turning up inside cars, but this is a first for us.

"The rabbit, which naturally we named Peter, thankfully let me pick him up. We tucked him into a warm box before transporting him back to his natural habitat near Washbrook."

The car's owner had been driving from Ipswich to his home in Holbrook, earlier this year when an engine light he didn't recognise came on his dashboard.

After hearing what the real fault was, he was absolutely baffled by the technician's discovery.

The owner, named as Mr Davey by local newspaper, said: "I couldn’t believe it. The light wasn’t a warning light I’d seen before so I knew I had to take it straight into my garage in Ipswich.

"The rabbit looked huge when Matthew pulled him out. How he managed to cling on all that distance is beyond me.

"It’s quite a remarkable adventure, one worthy of a Beatrix Potter story. Next time a light comes on, I’ll double check for Flopsy, Mopsy and Cotton-tail."

Mr Davey said he was glad the fault was a live rabbit having almost chewed through some wiring, rather than the suspected 'steering torque sensor failure' which would have set him back four figures.

A spokesperson for the garage had an explanation for why on earth the rabbit would have been in the car engine.

In a statement, they said: "The wiring insulation on vehicle wiring looms has always been petroleum-based, but nowadays wiring insulation is soy-based on some vehicles.

"This has the advantage of being more environmentally friendly, but due to its natural make-up, it can attract animals to the smell and taste of the insulation."

They recommend specialised sprays to deter animals and rodents from tucking into vehicle wiring.