Barn owl caught in discarded fishing line 'could have died'

The RSPCA said the amount of "damaging" fishing litter in waterways is "a major problem"

A "distressed" barn owl had to be rescued after its wing was caught in a discarded fishing line.

The RSPCA said the animal could have died and has appealed for anglers to dispose of their litter properly to protect wildlife.

The charity was called on Thursday after the bird was spotted dangling from a tree by its wing over the River Derwent at Allestree Park, Derby.

An animal rescuer and firefighters worked together to cut him free.

Firefighters used a boat and a "specialist grasping pole" to rescue the owl

The bird has since been taken to a nearby vets to recover from the ordeal and will then be released back into the wild.

• News and stories from the East Midlands

RSPCA inspector Pamela Bird said: "If he had not been spotted, he could have suffered a lingering death. I am really grateful to the member of the public who reported this.

"Sadly, fishing litter in our waterways is a major problem and it is so damaging to wildlife. We have to deal with many incidents of this nature."

The RSPCA said it has received 21,600 reports of animals injured or caught in litter in the last five years.

It urged anglers to recycle their old fishing line and avoid getting lines tangled up in foliage.

Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].