Badger rescued from concrete ledge on M5 in Somerset

A badger has been rescued by wildlife volunteers after becoming stranded on a concrete ledge on the M5 in Somerset.

Secret World Wildlife Rescue received a call alerting it to a badger being seen curled up in a protective ball near a 328ft (100m) drop.

Rescuers arranged with police for the motorway to be closed near Clevedon so they could safely reach the animal.

They were able to retrieve the unharmed female badger using a net and it has now been released back into the wild.

Matthew Lavy, 21, a volunteer for the wildlife charity, which is based in Highbridge said they received a call at about 16:30 GMT on 5 February to alert them to the stranded animal.

"Myself and a colleague went to the scene and we'd asked Highways teams to stop traffic," he said.

He continued: "The badger was in a very dangerous bit of road, we could tell it was still alive but it was next to a huge drop.

"It was quite an anxious rescue. She was covering her face as it was so scared.

"We managed to hold the net behind her and get her covered in it and in a cage."

Mr Lavy added that following the rescue, the badger was sedated and examined by a vet who said it was unharmed and in good condition.

After a few days of rest and rehabilitation it was released back into the wild.

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