Miraculous field mouse saved from fire, say crews

5 hours ago

Katy Prickett

A sharp-eyed firefighter spotted the animal trying to escape the fire

Towcester Fire Service A blackened field mouse resting on a firefighter's gloved left hand, beneath which is yellowed grass and ivy. — A sharp-eyed firefighter spotted the animal trying to escape the fire

"A miraculous little field mouse" has been rescued by firefighters after they spotted it trying to escape smouldering undergrowth.

Crews were called to Walton Grounds, Kings Sutton, Northamptonshire, at about 15:10 BST on Thursday to a grass verge and hedgerow fire when they saw the tiny animal.

"It's safe to say this mouse was grateful for a drink of some of our water before running off to rejoin his friends," said a Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson.

They believe the fire was caused by sunlight reflecting on broken glass and urged people to dispose of bottles and other litter responsibly.

The long-tailed field mouse is also known as a wood mouse and is similar to the house mouse, but has larger ears and eyes, according to The Wildlife Trusts

Towcester Fire Service A close-up of a blackened field mouse resting on padded fire service clothing in a pool of water. — The long-tailed field mouse is also known as a wood mouse and is similar to the house mouse, but has larger ears and eyes, according to The Wildlife Trusts

The spokesperson added: "Whilst we were attending some trees and hedgerows involved in fire, a member of our crew spotted this miraculous little field mouse scurrying amongst the smouldering undergrowth.

"After some searching, we located a family of mice in the hedgerow and were able to relocate them to a safe place."

The fire service's latest figures reveal it tackled 387 incidents between 1 and 12 August, 260 of which were fire-related.

Ten of these were large outdoor fires and 160 were small outdoor fires.

Firefighters put out a fire that had spread across about 45,000sqm at Grendon on Wednesday

Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Smoke rising from a field with burned and blackened plants in front and trees spotted through the smoke haze behind. — Firefighters put out a fire that had spread across about 45,000sqm at Grendon on Wednesday

In addition, crews attended 10 small outdoor fires and three large ones on Wednesday and Thursday.

These included a field fire at Valley Walk, Kettering, and a large grass fire on Main Road in Grendon.

They were also battling a blaze at a recycling facility at the Earlstrees Industrial Estate in Corby, which began on Monday, which one witness described as looking like "a tornado".

"Please follow our advice not to light any fires in the open during the current dry conditions," the spokesperson added.

"Fires spread easily, and the damage to property and our precious local wildlife can be devastating."

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