THIS badger prowling for a midnight feast got more than he bargained for – after falling into a canal.
The animal, pictured, became trapped in a lock after falling into the Caldon Canal, near Leek Road, at Endon, in the early hours of Monday.
He was found by a member of the public later on Monday morning after managing to get out of the water and seek shelter on the steps into the canal.
The RSPCA and members of a badger group later pulled the 12kg animal to safety.
Now the badger has been returned to the wild after being treated at the RSPCA's Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre, in Nantwich.
RSPCA inspector Julie Lyons said: "This was quite a difficult rescue and took a lot of ingenuity and teamwork to get the badger out of the canal.
"Other than being very cold and wet he appeared to be a really healthy badger, although he clearly hadn't enjoyed being in the canal.
"I guess he had lost his bearings and ended up in the water."
Stapeley Grange staff initially feared the badger may have suffered pneumonia.
Centre manager Lee Stewart said: "We are all delighted that the badger is back in the wild where he belongs."
In common with most mammals, badgers can swim, although they usually try to avoid going into water.
They will go out of their way to make use of bridges across streams and rivers, and will climb across fallen trees over water.
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