A fox sparked a three-day rescue mission after it was discovered wandering across the roof beams inside a busy gym in the Midlands.
Nocturnal Visitor in the Rafters
The unusual incident took place at the Pure Gym in Worcester. The animal is thought to have initially entered the building through a hole, finding itself navigating the high roof fittings. Staff from the Vale Wildlife Hospital were first alerted to the situation in the early hours, receiving a call at 1am.
Unfortunately, when the rescue team arrived, the fox had vanished from sight. Hopes that it had found its own way out were dashed the following day when the hospital received another call confirming the fox was back in the roof space.
A Tricky Rescue Operation
With the fox proving elusive in the ceiling structure, the wildlife experts enlisted help. Fire and rescue services assisted in locating the animal, but they were unable to safely reach it while it remained in the roof.
The breakthrough came on the third day. That night, the rescue team got the call they had been waiting for: the fox had finally descended and was spotted on the actual gym floor. This time, the hospital's team moved quickly and successfully captured the animal.
Recovery and Planned Release
The fox was transported back to Vale Wildlife Hospital for assessment and treatment. A spokesperson confirmed the animal was suffering from mange, a skin condition, but was otherwise in satisfactory health.
"Other than mange we couldn’t find anything else of concern," the spokesperson said. "So after treatment and monitoring he will be released back to the area."
To prevent a repeat performance, the rescue centre has pledged to ensure the entry point into the gym is securely blocked before the fox is returned to the wild. The successful conclusion of the lengthy operation provided relief for both the gym staff and the dedicated wildlife rescuers.
