[Nic Name]

LONDON (Reuters) - Today - A squirrel which terrorized a British town by attacking people has been shot and killed by the grandfather of its latest victim.

Geoff Horth, enraged by the squirrel biting his two-year-old grand-daughter Kelsi Morley on the face, took up his airgun and hunted down the rogue rodent, the Sun newspaper said on Friday.

"When I tracked him down I was surprised how big he was. He came down a tree and headed for me, but I shot him before he jumped," the 61-year-old school caretaker told the newspaper.

The bad-tempered squirrel's reign of terror in the town of Knutsford in central England had made parents frightened to let their children out to play.

Animal experts say it is very unusual for squirrels to behave in such an aggressive way toward humans.

Horth was philosophical about his role as gun-totting local hero. "Its a shame he went nuts, but I couldn't let this little beggar hold the town to ransom," he told the newspaper.

This story has all the necessary elements of a hot thread in the Cellar ... gun slingin' .... terrorist huntin' ... brit humour ... gory violence ... and squirrels!