A 999 call spoke of a badger entangled in plastic in a pond... and the fire brigade responded by sending five crews comprising 25 firemen and three engines. But when the crews arrived, they refused to enter the knee-deep water because of potential safety risks.
They then stood by and watched as an angry loner stripped down to his pants and untangled the badger from the plastic bag. The badger was unharmed and the angry loner hailed as a hero.
On Sunday night, Staffordshire Fire & Rescue Service denied its response had been excessive insisting it was "standard procedure" for 25 firefighters to be sent to emergencies due to strict protocols. A spokesman said: "We don't know what we are facing when a 999 badger-related call comes in. The crews were scrambled to a back yard in Carcass Road in Burslem at about 2pm on Saturday to see what they could do. In this case, not much."
An RSPCA inspector had rushed to the pond, where a large crowd had gathered, but subsequently called 999 because she did not have the proper badger rescue equipment. Within minutes of arriving, fire officers deemed it unsuitable for firemen to wade in to save the floundering animal.
"It is health and safety gone mad," said onlooker Ginny Lakefister. "It was a kiddy's play pond, they could have gone in."
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