Fox freed from University of Hertfordshire floorboard

The fox was freed from the flooring and released back into the wild after being checked over by the RSPCA

The RSPCA has said it was "faced with a very odd sight" when called to rescue a fox trapped in a floorboard.

Builders spotted the trapped animal's head poking out of a hole in the floor while renovating an office.

It is thought the fox was trying to wriggle through a section of flooring when it became stuck at the de Havilland campus in Hatfield.

RSPCA animal welfare officer Kate Wright, who freed the animal, said: "I just had these big eyes staring at me."

'Pride was hurt'

She added: "Here was this fox's head poking out of a floor and he was so jammed he couldn't move.

"I actually think he had quite an embarrassed expression on his face."

After builders used crowbars to pull up the flooring panel, the animal was pulled free, transferred to a cage and released at a safe location nearby.

Ms Wright added: "I had to get to the scruff of his neck while trying to avoid wires and eventually after a lot of pushing, I managed to pop one ear through and then finally the next and he was free.

"He was a beautiful fox, and although his neck was slightly swollen from being stuck, I think it was his pride that was hurt more than anything as he had been outfoxed by a hole."