Wild badger rescued after crashing through Northampton Superdrug's ceiling

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A wild badger fell through the ceiling of a Northampton town centre Superdrug on Sunday.

Staff at the store in the Grosvenor Centre were stunned to see the wild animal fall through a ceiling panel and land behind the counter at around 9am on Sunday (February 9).

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The badger then reportedly "made a mess" of the perfume selection behind the counter and hid under a shelving unit out of reach of staff.

The badger was set captured and set free by the Northamptonshire Badger Group.The badger was set captured and set free by the Northamptonshire Badger Group.
The badger was set captured and set free by the Northamptonshire Badger Group.

Sally Jones, of the Northamptonshire Badger Group, says her and her team were called to capture the stray animal.

She told the Chronicle & Echo: "I've no idea how it got in there. It must have got into one of the vents or air ducts.

"Badgers can walk for miles in search of food and this one must have gotten lost."

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The group was able to back the badger into a specialised net before capturing it in a cage.

A picture of the badger taken by a member of staff in Superdrug.A picture of the badger taken by a member of staff in Superdrug.
A picture of the badger taken by a member of staff in Superdrug.

Sally said: "We assessed the badger for injuries but she was in perfect health. The fall might have shocked her but thankfully badgers have thick skulls.

"She was very beautiful and calm. It's rare to see one in such good condition - badgers are normally quite gnarled or missing an ear or something."

The badger was released in a safe location this morning (February 11) away from the town centre.

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A spokeswoman for Superdrug said: "We can confirm that our Northampton store had to remain closed on Sunday due to a visiting badger who snuck in through a ventilation shaft to take shelter from Storm Ciara.

A picture of the badger taken by a member of staff in Superdrug.A picture of the badger taken by a member of staff in Superdrug.
A picture of the badger taken by a member of staff in Superdrug.

"We would like to thank Northamptonshire Badger Group who swiftly arrived to remove the badger and safely released her back to the wild. The store is open and trading as normal.

Northamptonshire Badger Group is involved of all aspects of badger welfare across all Northamptonshire and hold records of setts across the county. They are also involved in rescuing badgers, taking them for vet treatment and releasing them. For more information visit their website.