A mechanic described the moment a rabbit was found inside the protective cover at the bottom of a car as "a scene taken out of Benny Hill sketches".

Ben Riddell, director of the Hanningfield Motor Company in East Hanningfield, Essex, in Great Britain stated that when a Volkswagen Golf arrived from Burnham-on-Crowts for service, technicians removed the lower cover of the vehicle and discovered the animal, according to BBC.

Although mice are common finding, rabbits are "extremely rare", as he said, and initially worried that it was someone's pet.

Rabbit find like a Benny Hill sketch, says mechani c https://t.co/VgFGPD3tMr— BBC East (@BBCLookEast) June 16, 2026

"In the end it ended up a bit like Benny Hill sketch. We were chasing it into the garage, it crawled behind some lockers, and we finally managed to get it out. I want to believe that he now lives happy in some field," he said.

When engineers began work on the car on May 26, they noticed that the lower cover was "heavier than usual". When they removed it, they were confronted with the rabbit looking at them.

Riddell stated:

"I can't really understand why he decided to crawl in there.

The technician who did the job pulled out a pretty loud scream. I think he was initially afraid he was a squirrel or something.

The mice we meet quite often because we are in a rural area. They often enter the vehicles and we have often found nuts stored inside the air filters boxes.".

The 51-year-old director, who grew up in farms, immediately understood by his color that he was "sure of a wild rabbit".

It is estimated that the animal traveled about 22 kilometres (14 mi) from Burnham-on-Craws to East Haningfield.

A representative of the RSPCA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Animal Abuse) said:

"It must have been a big surprise for engineers to find a rabbit in the car, but we are glad it was rescued.

It is not unusual to find animals hiding in vehicle engines. RSPCA officers have rescued all kinds of fur and feather friends, such as foxes, pheasants and cats.

We urge drivers to take simple measures to ensure that no animal has found shelter under their vehicle before they begin. A quick look under the car and a blow to the hood can help.

Wait a minute so the animals can get out before you start the engine. Although they can often remove themselves, some scare or crawl into narrow spots and may be trapped under the hood.".