A badger has been rescued after becoming trapped in a skate park.

The young badger had become stuck after falling into the concrete bowl section of the skate park in King George's Playing Fields on Friday but luckily was found by a member of the Brentwood Parks team.

Councillor Karen Chilvers, who is also chair of the community committee, said: "The badger was alive and able to move but it was clear that it had injured itself as it tried to get free.

"Our officer from the Parks Team called the South Essex Wildlife Hospital who came to the Skate Park and they worked together to rescue the badger so that it could be taken to the charity’s hospital to be checked over by their medical staff.

"Our Parks Team have contacted the hospital since to find out how the badger is and I’m pleased to be able to say that other then wearing its rear claws down from trying to get out of the bowl, the badger was healthy and unharmed and released back into the wild shortly after being checked in.

"Obviously whilst the rescue was happening the Skate Park was closed and we did need to do some cleaning before we could open it again.

"I would like to thank our Parks Team for looking out for all our residents that use our parks, whether they have two legs or four.

"I'd also like to take this opportunity to thank the South Essex Wildlife hospital for all the work they do for sick and injured animals in our borough and, on a personal note, I'm delighted to hear an 'animal in distress" story with a happy ending."