Gerbil saved after being dumped in Ilkley skip

The pet rodent was covered in sawdust when it was rescued

A keen-eyed council worker said a pet gerbil he discovered in a West Yorkshire skip had a "lucky escape".

Michael Mchugh, 58, saw the animal in a cage covered in cling film just before he "flattened" the skip in Ilkley on Wednesday morning.

The gerbil is now safe and has since been rehomed.

The RSPCA said it was grateful for Mr Mchugh's "kind actions" and said there was "no excuse" to abandon a vulnerable animal in this way.

"There could have been a nasty ending for the little chap," Mr McHugh said.

"I was just about to flatten the skip with a two-tonne JCB roll ball crusher.

"I saw him luckily. He was covered in sawdust when I got him out and started squeaking at me."

He said someone at the tip had offered to take the gerbil home with them until a permanent home could be found.

Mr Mchugh said he was about to crush the skip with his JCB when he spotted the gerbil

Mr Mchugh, from Bingley, said the owners might have thought the gerbil was dead and said he would not be checking any CCTV footage as he did not want to start a "witch hunt".

"I'm just happy that the gerbil was ok, he had a lucky escape - it could have been a lot worse."

An RSPCA spokesperson added: "We would like to say a huge thank you to Mr Mchugh for his kind actions and we're so pleased this little gerbil is now safe in a new home.

"It's very sad that someone's pet has been found like this and maybe an owner has been struggling with their upkeep, but it's no excuse to leave a vulnerable animal in this manner and we would urge people to seek appropriate support or help with rehoming."

Mr Mchugh said: "I'm just glad there was a happy ending."