A WAYWARD fox cub trapped in a storm drain mobilised firefighters to the rescue.

The cub was spotted at Arrow Lane, North Littleton and an RSPCA inspector called the fire brigade.

Leading firefighter John Wood said: "When we go there, the fox cub was in a storm pipe. It had come from the guttering and had got into this pipe."

The animal did not seem to appreciate the efforts of his potential rescuers, said the firefighter, explaining: "The RSPCA inspector said the fox cub had bitten him as he was trying to catch it."

The inspector had lifted a manhole cover as he tried to reach the cub but it ran into a storm drain in a bid to escape the RSPCA man during the incident, at around 1pm last Friday.

"We dug through the soil," said leading firefighter Wood, adding: "We found where the pipework comes up into a ditch.

"Apparently, what he had done was crawl up the pipework, thinking it was the drain.

"He found he couldn't get round the grating but, with all the noise that was going on, came back down the pipework."

The story had a happy ending, however, said the firefighter, as the crew found more than they bargained for. "Not only was the cub up there but the mother and three or four other cubs were up there. We weren't expecting a family; it was a bit of a shock to the system."

He added: "In the end, we left it with the RSPCA."

The firefighters and RSPCA inspector left the scene, confident the vixen would eventually lead her young family to safety once the coast was clear.