A MAN has told how he came face-to-face with a wild dog described as looking like a "fox on steroids".

Engineer Ben Towler, 27, was driving through Wingham on Wednesday morning when he almost ran over the sandy-haired beast – one of 20 dholes on the loose after escaping from Howletts zoo in Bekesbourne.

The dhole – commonly known as the Indian Wild Dog and capable in pairs of taking down a baby elephant – jumped out in front of Ben's work van at about 10.30am.

"It looked like a big ginger wolf with a lion's mane – kind of like a fox on steroids," he said.

"It ran out in front of my car so I had to slam on my brakes to avoid hitting it.

"Then a man with a tranquilliser gun jumped out of the bushes.

"He told me some dogs had escaped from Howletts zoo after chewing a hole in a fence."

Staff at the popular wild animal park confirmed its 20-strong pack of meat-eating dholes - native to Asia - had escaped from their enclosure in the morning.

At the time the Adscene went to press, 12 had been caught, four shot, one was dead and three were still at large.

The park was closed all day for safety reasons and armed police were put on standby.

Spokesman Tricia Corkhill said it was unclear how they had escaped but everything was being done to catch them.

She said: "The situation is under control and we have trained animal keepers and vets with tranquilliser guns looking for the missing dogs.

"They pose little or no danger to the public but they shouldn't be approached anymore than you would approach a fox or stray dog.

"They are captive-reared and used to the park so will want to get home."

Irene Hawker, of nearby Highfield Care Home, said staff heard about the break-out on the radio.

"It was on the one o'clock news bulletin," she said.

"We've made sure the door is locked so the residents don't go wandering off.

"Let's just hope I don't find one in my garden when I get home."