Two reindeer who caused chaos on the A11 after making a dash from a Christmas grotto on a nearby country estate have been found after almost 24 hours on the run.

The animals, named Blitzen and Blue, had leapt to freedom from a pen at the Elveden estate and headed into the surrounding countryside.

Their handlers believe the pair were "spooked" by something while on duty at the site's Father Christmas grotto.

Shortly after their escape, at about 3pm on Sunday, they were seen by motorists on the nearby A11.

Drivers were forced to reduce speed as the animals loitered in the central reservation and then galloped alongside vehicles.

Police were called and officers closed the dual carriageway for around three hours.

However, they were not able to capture Blue and Blitzen and road was reopened at around 5.30pm on Sunday.

Efforts to recover the pair continued and they were spotted on the Elveden estate, one of the biggest farms in the UK, owned by Lord Iveagh of the Guinness family.

However, it was too dark to recover them, so they were monitored overnight.

The recovery operation saw a third reindeer brought along, as well as food used to entice the runaways.

They were finally captured between the old A11 and the new A11 at about 1.30pm on Monday.

A spokeswoman for the Elveden Estate said: "We are over the moon that we have got them back.

"We knew where they were last night and we let them rest overnight so that their owner could get them this morning."

The animals were brought to the estate by events management team Daisy Entertainment. 

Owner of the business Emma King said the animals got out after being spooked and jumpted over a fence, but did not know what exactly had spooked them.

The reindeer were being kept in a pen close to Father Christmas's grotto with people able to get pictures with them. 

The animals are owned by Majestic Reindeers, which supplies the creatures to events.

The firm has been approached for a comment.