Dazed intruder badgers pensioner

14 July 2005 - BBC News

A badger broke into a house and woke up the neighbours by smashing a window during its bungled escape, police said.

It is thought the animal entered the house in Swindon via a cat flap and made its way upstairs to a bedroom.

"Once there, it tried to jump through the window, causing the window to smash, and injuring itself," a police spokeswoman said.

Pamela Mackie, 78, who lives in the house was alerted by a neighbour in the early hours of Wednesday.

The neighbour, who had been disturbed by the sound of smashing glass, told police he "had seen a head, possibly an animal, look out of the window" of the property, police said.

Police found a badger, "injured and dazed", in a corner of a first floor bedroom.

It was taken for treatment to Swindon and District Animal Haven.

John Warwick, from the centre, said: "It's a young male, it looks to have been suffering pain from some old injuries, possibly in fights with other badgers, and was probably looking for a quiet, safe place. They're very inquisitive animals which is how it ended up upstairs."

The animal will be nursed back to health and released back into the wild, he added.

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