An Australian man's missus has branded him a "hero" after he tackled a "lunatic ninja" kangaroo which rampaged through their home on the outskirts of Canberra, the BBC reports.

Beat Ettlin, 42, intially sought refuge under the bedcovers with wife Verity Beman and their daughter after the roo crashed through their bedroom window. A shaken Beman recounted: "I just kept holding the covers over my head and felt the kangaroo jumping on top of us."

The kamikaze marsupial, estimated by Ettlin at around 5 ft 9 in tall, had "gouged holes in the furniture and smeared blood over the walls" during its unwelcome visit. Ettlin said: "My initial thought when I was half awake was, 'it's a lunatic ninja coming through the window'."

Beman praised her hubby as "a hero: a hero in Bonds undies", making reference to an underwear brand popular downunder. Indeed, Ettlin's heroic status is further enhanced by the fact that he's originally from Switzerland; a country not noted for its roo-wrestling tradition.

The offending kangaroo, although wounded, hoppled off into a nearby reserve. Experts say that while common around Canberra, the creatures rarely jump through bedroom windows and trample families. ®

Related stories

• Aussies: Eat roos, save the planet (11 August 2008)
• Bloodthirsty Killeroo terrorised Oz (13 July 2006)
• Alphabetical zoo killer terrorises Brazil (16 February 2004)