A wide-eyes runaway ram which sidestepped trucks on the Southern Motorway met his match when he attempted to charge a Dunedin firefighter.
Station officer Mark Townsend, of Lookout Point, said a ram was running south on the northbound lane of the Southern Motorway, about 200m below the station, on Saturday.
The four station crew were first on the scene and pursued the woolly fugitive on foot.
''On our first attempt to grab it, it leaped over the median barrier on to the southbound lane.''
The ram was narrowly missed by two trucks as it ran towards the off-ramp to Concord.
''It didn't know which way it really wanted to go.
''It was zigzagging a little bit.
''Potentially, it could have been a bit horrific.''
Mr Townsend said he managed to get in front of the the ram and, with many motorists stopped to watch the chase, he prepared for a clean tackle to put an end to the pursuit.
''It came straight at me. I saw the whites of its eyes . . .
''There were a few onlookers and I thought I could look very foolish, but I managed to hold on.''
The ram, which was wearing a collar, was put in the nearest paddock.
"We're not completely convinced that was his paddock, and it was full of ewes, so he might be having the time of his life right now.''
The police and animal control were called to investigate further, he said.
