Donning a tiny multi-coloured striped beanie to shield his ears from the chilly wind, Madura braved the canine collective to do his bit for the third annual RSPCA Million Paws Walk at Morpeth Common yesterday.

And while Madura was clearly in the minority he still had a good time.

“I’ve actually wanted to bring Madura to this walk for the past couple of years but I haven’t been able to but this year we’ve made it and it’s been a wonderful morning,” Madura’s owner Parmila Ubeyratna, of Metford, said.

“Ferrets are such wonderful pets because they are low maintenance, they are adorable and you can take them anywhere.”

Relieving supervisor at Rutherford’s RSPCA shelter Michelle Gagno said this year’s walk attracted 800 registrations including Madura and one cat.

The walk also featured various pet-friendly stalls and the music of Hunter band No Dogs in Taxis.