POLICE hoping to ruffle the feathers of suspected criminals instead made a feathered friend when they raided a house on Friday.

A drugs raid at a property in Middlesbrough uncovered a small amount of cannabis – and an owl.

The cute creature and its friend, a bearded dragon, were discovered by surprised officers during a search of the Hemlington house.

A spokesman for Cleveland Police later took to social media to pen a pun-filled tale of the unusual find.

He said: “A hoot of a Section 23 Misuse of Drugs Act warrant was carried out in Hemlington after intelligence was received of something fowl at the address.

“A small quantity of suspected cannabis was recovered following a thorough search of owl the rooms of the house, and a female hoo was located at the address received a cannabis warning.

“Also at the address were a small barn own and a bearded dragon.

“So as to not be owl on our own, we made the wise decision to contact the RSPCA who swooped in and both the owl and the dragon were taken under their wing to be checked over by a local vet.

“I’m talon you, it’s just another day at the office.”

He signed off #NeighbourhootPolice.