Elephant escapes circus and rams family home

The Enoksson family caught the whole elephantine drama on film and could be heard becoming increasingly anxious as the animal approached and collided with their house.

“We became very frightened and then we heard a crash in the wall of the house,” said Sofia Enoksson to the Aftonbladet daily, which has broadcast the film.

The elephants had apparently evaded the attention of their handlers at a circus which had made its base near the residential neighbourhood in the small Swedish town.

Enoksson was critical of the choice of location for the circus.

“I think it is very serious that they let elephants run free near houses where there are a lot of children milling about,” she told the newspaper.

The elephants eventually lumbered off across a field and the family called the police who in turn called the circus to enquire as to what was being done to deal with the matter.

“One hopes that they have a carer who can entice them with some carrots,” said Göran Gunnarsson at Jönköping police to Aftonbladet.

The circus is reported as having claimed to have been in control of the elephants.