A wild boar spotted several times around Chippenham this month has been found dead where it was hit by a car.

An accidental collision with the boar on the A420 on Thursday night happened after David Beard, 50, had been celebrating his birthday at the Neeld Arms Inn, Grittleton.

He was being driven home to Chippenham when the boar ran out into the road.

The accident happened near the Allington Farm Shop at 10.45pm and was reported to police on Friday.

Mr Beard suffered a broken nose when the airbag activated.

He said: “There was nothing there at all and the next thing I knew it was just standing there, it was quite huge.”

He and the driver were unable to find the boar in the dark but went looking for it yesterday after the snow cleared and found it's body.

“Poor thing lying in a ditch, it’s very sad,” he said.

“It is about five feet long and two feet tall. It did an awful lot of damage to the car.

“It was a really good day and then that - what a way to end it.”

Earlier this month dog walker Paul Gardner, of Brook Street, Chippenham, said he came across a wild boar between Sheldon School and Chippenham Football Club.

He said: "It started charging towards me and I screamed like a girl.”

Mr Gardner's scare came after several sightings the week before.

Police received calls saying a wild boar was on the loose on the A420 and one was spotted near the Allington Farm Shop.