Wild Bavarian boars too much for shaken shoppers

BERLIN - Shaken burghers in the quiet German country town of Veitshoechheim were licking their wounds and counting the cost of the damage yesterday after a pack of wild boars went on the rampage.

The tuskers left bitten pedestrians, toppled cyclists, smashed cars and a wrecked fashion boutique in their wake.

Chaos erupted in the Bavarian market town when more than a dozen frightened and aggressive boars invaded the town centre after fleeing beaters involved in a nearby hunt.

One of the animals bulldozed its way into a fashion boutique, badly frightening staff and leaving a €1000 ($1945) trail of destruction behind. Another bit an unsuspecting 44-year-old male pedestrian on the leg.

A 76-year-old woman was knocked off her bicycle by a boar which was then struck down and killed by a passing car. Police marksmen intervened and two boars were shot dead. It took more than two hours before peace could be finally restored.

- INDEPENDENT