Donkey chomps £260k sports car mistaking it for a giant carrot

A hungry donkey mistook an orange supercar for a carrot, a court in Germany heard.

Vitus the donkey caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to a volcano orange McLaren 650S Spider worth €300,000 (£260k), landing his owner in court.

Entrepreneur Markus Zahn is seeking the donkey owner’s insurers to fork out for a €5,000 (£4,385) bill.

The 49-year-old had parked his sports car next to a paddock last year in the central German state of Hesse. On a returning he was met with the sight of a donkey biting into the rear of the vehicle, causing €30,000 (£26,000) worth of damage.

Police reckon Vitus likely confused the motor for a carrot.

Zahn told German newspaper Bild: “I looked into the rear-view mirror and suddenly saw a pair of fluffy ears. And then I heard a strange sound. The sound came from a donkey, who was gnawing at my fender.

“The donkey probably thought the car was a carrot on wheels. I’m not mad at him.”

Fortunately for Zahn, McLaren covered cost for the vast majority of the damage. However, the insurance company have argued he should have chosen a better parking spot.

A civil court in Giessen is set to rule on Thursday.