A fox cub has been rescued after spending around 5 days trapped deep inside a drain network on the Isle of Wight.
The dramatic rescue operation began on Saturday morning after homeowners traced the sound of what they believed to be a barking dog to an outside drain, following 3 days of hearing the noise.
Rescuers attended the scene and, after lifting the drain cover and dropping in dog biscuits, briefly spotted the cub before she darted back into the darkness.
Volunteer Dave was called in to assist and diverted from another engagement to help, while Sean Worthington a Southern Water crew also responded without hesitation due to the complexity of the rescue.
After several hours attempting to locate the cub, rescuers finally spotted her on a drain inspection camera, with her eyes reflecting back from deep inside the tunnel.
The fox cub, later nicknamed ‘Penny’, repeatedly avoided moving between 2 drains, leading rescuers to believe the pipework may have been blocked.
An innovative solution was then suggested by Dave’s wife, Charlotte, who recommended using a Ring doorbell camera placed inside the drain. The setup allowed homeowners to monitor Penny’s movements and prevent her travelling further through the pipe network.
The team returned again this morning and eventually managed to trap Penny within a 16-metre section of pipe between 2 manhole covers.
After an estimated 6-hour operation today alone, the exhausted cub was finally brought to safety. Rescuers said she was extremely cold after her ordeal.
An emergency call was made to Carisbrooke Vets, where Penny was examined, given antibiotics and admitted for fluids and further treatment.
Rescuers have thanked local residents, Southern Water staff and everyone involved in helping save the cub’s life.
One rescuer said:
“A huge thank you to Sean and his crew because without their help we would not have caught her. Southern Water, you should feel proud of your determined and caring employees. As the saying goes, heroes don’t always wear capes.”
