Otter killed by illegal crayfish trap

The "beautiful creature" met its end in an illegal crayfish trap, said police

An illegal crayfish trap placed in a pond in Derbyshire has killed an otter.

The owner of the pond in Hartshorne, near Swadlincote, had no knowledge that the trap had been set, said Derbyshire Police's Rural Crime Team.

The trap snared and killed an adult female, said officers who on Monday appealed for anyone with information to come forward.

Sharing an image of the dead animal, a spokesperson for the team said: "This is the damage that can be caused to precious wildlife when illegal and unauthorised trapping practices are used."