The RSPCA has marked the festive season by revealing the top ten weirdest calls it has received.

With calls from the public coming in to the Horsham-based charity every 20 seconds, it is hardly surprising some of them are more than a little bizarre.

Top of the list was a motorist who thought a magpie was lying injured at the side of the road. The bird turned out to be a white Nike trainer.

Another concerned member of public called after spotting what he thought was a dead horse in a flooded field but the horse turned out to be a piece of wood.

Several members of the public reported having birds trapped in their walls but the birds were in fact smoke alarms with batteries running low.

A frantic householder phoned the RSPCA after finding a black snake under his sofa. On closer inspection it was revealed to be a television cable.

A caller also phoned to ask when the new Rolf Harris single was coming out.

Officers rushed to reports of a cat pegged to a washing line - it was a toy.

But perhaps the most bizarre call to have been received was from a woman who became a prisoner in her own home for 24 hours because a black cat-like creature had been seen crouching on her doorstep.

She told the RSPCA she though it might be the much-feared Beast of Bodmin - but the beast was nothing other than a telephone directory delivered in a black bag.