A badger who became stuck in a deep pit surrounded by barbed wire on Danbury Common was rescued after a member of the public spotted the distressed animal.

RSPCA Inspector Chloe Frost rushed to the scene after call was made to the charity last Sunday (7March).

It is not known how long the male badger had been caught up in the pit, which was 2 metres deep.

Chloe said: "It was a real struggle to get him out.

"First I used my grasper pole to ensure that the badger wasn't tangled in any of the barbed wire, then once I was sure he was clear I used the pole to carefully lift him out. There was no way he would've been able to get out by himself.

"Once he was out I took him to be assessed by vets at South Essex Wildlife Hospital as he seemed very lethargic and we don't know how long he had been down there before being found."

The badger has now been released back into the wild.

Efforts are being made to contact the local authorities about the pit so it can be covered over to prevent further animals becoming trapped.

To report an animal in distress contact the RSPCA emergency line on 0300 1234 999.