Blind piglet reunited with the man who saved him

Simon and his family found Benny, the piglet, running in the middle of the A614

An escaped blind piglet has been given another chance at life after being rescued from a busy main road.

Benny, who is thought to have run away from a farm, was found wandering in the middle of the A614 near Farnsfield, Nottinghamshire.

The animal was rescued by a family who stopped at the scene and bundled him into their car to safety.

Benny, who had needed to have both eyes removed due to an infection, is now recovering from the ordeal at an animal sanctuary.

Simon's family drove Benny to an animal rescue centre after being turned away from several farms

Simon Hill was driving back from a trip to Sherwood Forest with his wife and granddaughter on 5 October when he spotted what he thought was a cat in the middle of the road.

"Cars were swerving around him, people pipping their horns," he said.

"I jumped out [of my car] and approached a lady who was dealing with it, and she just passed me the pig.

"Panic sets in and you sort of realise that you need help."

Mr Hill said he asked nearby farms if the piglet belonged to them, but they were turned away on each occasion.

They were eventually referred to Brinsley Animal Rescue, a charity located about 30 minutes away.

Mr Hill said: "Initially you have that [feeling of], 'oh, he's so cute, he's so lovely'. We were quite dumbstruck.

"It was quite nerve-wracking. This isn't a normal drive, you've got a little sentient being that is dependent on you.

"It was a long, arduous 30-minute drive."

Benny needed both eyes removing but is making a quick recovery

After spending the night at the rescue centre, Benny was taken to Vets for Pets in Eastwood, where he was found to have a perforated cornea in one eye and a large ulcer on the other.

Despite having both eyes removed, the "boisterous" piglet is now making a swift recovery and is expected to lead a full life.

"He's absolutely fighting fit," Jon Beresford, co-founder and trustee of Brinsley Animal Rescue, said.

"He wants lots of attention, he loves his fusses.

"He'll run around and he'll bump into things [but] he doesn't know the area yet.

"He will adapt, he's very young and very intelligent and he will cope."

Mr Beresford believes Benny is only a few weeks old.

The piglet will now spend his days at the rescue centre, unless a "lifelong home" can be found for him.

"Unfortunately, it's not unusual; it's the third stray pig that we've rescued in the past 12 months," he added.

Almost two weeks on from rescuing Benny, Simon paid a visit to see him at the charity, which is also home to a blind cow.

"It was amazing," Mr Hill said.

"It was really heartfelt to walk in and see him and know that he's going to be OK.

"Through fate, whatever it is, we stopped and we rescued Benny.

"I could not wish for a better outcome."