Albert the turkey led police on a chase through Liebig Street and was cornered in a nearby laneway on Saturday night.

The novel incident has attracted local and national media attention this week, surprising and amusing owners Chris and Vicki Bell from Ecklin. 

Mrs Bell collected Albert from the Warrnambool RSPCA on Monday morning and the pair said on Tuesday they couldn’t believe the level of attention the incident attracted

They said a Victoria Police Facebook page post of Leading Senior Constable Greg Kew catching Albert had garnered 8,800 reactions, 3000 comments and 604 shares on Tuesday afternoon.

The pair said Albert’s Warrnambool adventure came about when Mr Bell entrusted mates, aged in their early 20s, to deliver him to a Narringal farm.

Mr Bell said the group told Mr and Mrs Bell they visited Boggy Creek pub and the Flying Horse before stopping at the Noodlebox to pick up dinner.

It was in Liebig Street that Albert escaped and the rest is history. 

He said patrons at Liebig Street restaurants and hotels came outside, while others stopped their cars to take a closer look and to video Albert’s Warrnambool late-night debut.

“Everybody’s talking about it,” Mr Bell said. “It’s a bit of fun and it’s good for Warrnambool. It’s a 20 kilo gobbler. It’s a very impressive bird.” 

Mrs Bell said Albert, who she described as an amicable bird who liked people, was recovering after his big night out. “He wasn’t overly stressed by what’s happened,” she said.