AN unlikely customer gave Essentially Healthy You owner David Marston a right surprise after scurrying into the shop claws and all on Wednesday.
The large lace monitor goanna had been eyeing off customers at Whitebridge from a telegraph pole before making its way across the pedestrian crossing, turning its nose up at the takeaway shop and Pegs cafe and waltzing into the health store.
"I'm not expecting a six foot goanna to come into the shop, not really, we've been here for four years and that's never happened before," he said.
Concerned about the safety of his two-legged customers, Mr Marston called WIRES who didn't have anyone available to remove the goanna, so he called firefighters at Charlestown who were just as baffled as he was.
"These three big burly guys walk straight in, the goanna's at the back of the shop sitting on our water heater, our massage therapist poked her head out and quickly shut the door," he said.
"The firies said it's not really in their jurisdiction but they're gonna have a go, so they get fully kitted up in helmets, big thick coats and gloves and grabbed him and took him out to let him go and he ran away happy as Larry.
"So not only do we look after our people but the wildlife as well."
Mr Marston said he was very appreciative of the fire brigade, and jokingly said the butcher wasn't much help, "he just shut the door".
"So thank God for the firies," he said.
The call came in just after 2pm and Fire and Rescue NSW spokesman Adam Dewberry said it's not the first time they've had to remove wildlife caught in unfortunate places, but it is one of the stranger ones.
"The motto is prepare for anything," he said.
"We'll have a crack at most things, within reason and when we have the capability, but we're there to help people and if we can assist we'll always try - so here's an example of what we can do.
"It doesn't surprise me they've got him out of there, we get called to all sorts of jobs, from ducklings stuck in drains, dogs with buckets around their heads, horses and cows stuck in mud or magpies who get caught with their creative nest building - we'll have a crack at anything."
It only took firefighters about five minutes to remove the health-conscious critter, who caused a bit of a stir on the street.
Dudley resident Phillip Buckner was enjoying a smoothie next door at Pegs cafe when the lace monitor strutted past them into Essentially Healthy You.
"He just came down off the pole, walked across the pedestrian crossing and instead of going into the hot food place, which you think he'd be interested in, he walked into the health shop and went straight to the back of the store," he said.
"He was an extraordinary, beautiful animal, he was very docile in the firie's arms, it's almost like he just gave up and said, 'take me'.
"The poor shop assistant was terrified out on the pavement, they're very dangerous if they crawl up your leg."
The lace monitor was released into nearby bushland.
