A SHOPPER was left red-faced after an alligator they reported being on the loose in Glasgow's east end turned out to be a PLASTIC model.

The concerned onlooker spotted the two foot long creature in bushes on a busy roundabout and called the SSPCA to warn them.

But when SSPCA officer Pamela Cairns raced to the scene near the Forge Shopping centre she discovered the reptile was a plastic toy.

Pamela, 35, - who admits breathing a sigh of relief after discovering the creature was only a model - revealed she thought her colleagues were winding her up when the call came through last Thursday.

She said: "I was sure someone was having a laugh with me but our animal helpline staff said the caller insisted an alligator was on the loose.

"When I arrived I couldn't see anything so the caller came along to show me.

"Eventually we found it - a two and a half foot long plastic alligator in the bushes.

"I suppose if you drove past it might have looked real but the caller was mortified with embarrassment that it wasn't real.

"We had a laugh about it though and considering the awful cruelty and abuse cases we deal with this callout really put a smile on my face."

The plastic reptile was kept by Pamela and is now taking pride of place in her van.

Pamela added: "It wouldn't have been the first alligator we'd have rescued as a few years ago we caught someone trying to sell one which had been kept in a 15th floor Edinburgh flat.

"And two years ago we found another one abandoned in Galashiels.

"But I've named my new pet Ally and I'm keeping him in my van to keep me smiling when I go out on jobs."

The SSPCA's animal helpline deals with an average of 125,000 calls every year.

SSPCA Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn added: "Even though this call turned out to be a false alarm, we would always ask the public to call our animal helpline if they believe an animal is in distress.

"We always do our very best to help wherever possible."