Man-size wire ball on the run

North Canterbury has a giant metal ball on the loose, last seen heading north on Browns road.

Swananoa resident Dawn Eastwood said her one and a half metre tall, ‘‘rusty’’ steel wire ball was blown out of her family’s property by a storm on Thursday September 8.

A neighbour told the family they had seen the ball rolling down Browns road on the night of the storm.

She bought the metal ‘‘cat’s ball of [yarn]’’ at the Culverden Country Fete and the family had grown attached to it.

‘‘We’d like our ball back ... we’ve had it nine years, we’re just devastated it’s gone now,’’ she said.

The ball had sat on the lawn since it was brought home and was moved about by the wind.

Eastwood and her family had searched up and down Browns road for the last week and a half, checking ditches and waterways.

Although similar balls are available online, the $995 replacement cost was too much she said.

They listed it as missing on Facebook, Neighbourly and had contacted police to help in the search.

Eastwood believed it had been picked up and was sitting in someone’s backyard who didn’t know its history.

If anyone had seen the ball they could contact Eastwood via Facebook, Neighbourly or on her cellphone: 0210606939.