Fox with head stuck in watering can rescued in Essex

The vixen was "clearly distressed" and lucky to have avoided serious injury, an RSPCA officer said

A fox had to be rescued after getting its head stuck in a watering can in a garden.

A member of the public spotted the animal thrashing about in Braiswick, near Colchester, the RSPCA said.

The charity was sent to free the vixen and checked it was not injured before releasing it into undergrowth.

Rescue officer Natalie Read said the fox was "clearly distressed" and could have suffered serious injuries or even died if it was not found so quickly.

"She'd wedged herself between fencing at the bottom of the garden and must have been exhausted because I was able to catch her easily and carefully prise the can off her head," she said.

"Thankfully she wasn't injured and she was raring to go, so I released her and she bounded off back into the safety of the undergrowth."

It is thought the fox's head became trapped while it was looking for food or drink in the watering can.

The animal was checked for injuries and released back into the countryside in Essex