Kirkby firefighters chipped through concrete to rescue trapped fox cub

The crew from Ashfield Fire Station were called to Kingsway in the town, on Friday by animal rescue volunteers.

The six-week-old cub was one of two young foxes rescued, thought to have been abandoned by their mother.

Firefighters were able to release it after making a hole in the garage and both cubs were taken to a sanctuary.

Hope Animal Rescue Centre (HARC), based in Long Eaton, said it first received a call about the fox cubs on Friday.

Staff at a care home in St Thomas' Avenue first spotted one of the cubs on their doorstep and were concerned it needed help so called the rescue centre.

Sue Buck, the founder of HARC, said: "When they tried to catch it, it ran and got stuck between a garage and a wall where it was about 3in wide."

After it was freed by firefighters it was reunited with its sibling - found hiding under a hedge - and taken to Linjoy Wildlife Sanctuary in Etwall.

Ms Buck said: "They're very old for this time of year so we think it's possibly a young vixen who was having child control problems."

It was hoped the cubs could be taken back to their mother that evening but Ms Buck said she failed to show up.

They will now stay at the sanctuary until they are big enough to be released at a safe site.

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