Hedgehog rescued from Wakefield water chamber by Yorkshire Water technician
A quick-thinking Yorkshire Water technician came to the rescue of a hedgehog trapped inside a water chamber in Wakefield.
Bailey Hall was attending Hollingthorpe Farm to carry out a routine smart meter upgrade when he discovered that the chamber he was going to access had no lid.
After being told by the farmer that the iron lid had been stolen, Bailey checked inside the chamber and found a hedgehog trapped at the bottom.
He contacted Prickly Edge Hedgehog Rescue for advice, and alongside the farmer, initially attempted to free the animal.
A second Yorkshire Water team arrived on site shortly after with specialist digging equipment to safely access the chamber.
Working together, teams were eventually able to free the hedgehog, which was then passed into the care of Prickly Edge Hedgehog Rescue.
The hedgehog was assessed following the rescue and thankfully showed no signs of dehydration or injury.
She is now being closely monitored by the rescue team and has been named ‘Bailey’ in honour of the Yorkshire Water operative who found and helped rescue her.
Bailey said: "I’m glad I checked inside and spotted the hedgehog. It was a real team effort to get her out and it’s great to know she is doing well.”
A spokesperson from Prickly Edge Hedgehog Rescue said: “We’re grateful to everyone involved and to Bailey for acting so quickly.
"Situations like this can be very dangerous for hedgehogs, so this was a fantastic outcome.”
For more information about how to help our hedgehogs, click here.