Owl will live to fly another night after being rescued from netting

The owl was said to be exhausted after struggling to escape from the pond netting

A tawny owl "will live to fly another night" after becoming trapped in garden pond netting.

The owl became entangled in Sydenham, south-east London, with wildlife experts thinking it might have swooped to catch a mouse and got stuck.

The RSPCA was called out and rescued the bird, taking it to a wildlife hospital.

It has since been released back into the wild. Homeowners have been asked to remove netting from their gardens.

Animal rescue officer Mat Hawkins said the owl must have been struggling to escape for some time as it was exhausted when he arrived.

"He barely moved while I set about cutting him free from the netting," he said.

Mr Hawkins added: "Thankfully, this stunning owl will live to fly another night - and I hope he stays away from any further netting in the future."

The uninjured owl was later released

The RSPCA suggested homeowners replace netting with a solid metal mesh, and recommend ensuring ponds have steps, ramps or sloped edges to allow wild animals like hedgehogs to escape.

They also recommend homeowners not free animals trapped in netting themselves, as they may have serious injuries which require veterinary treatment.