Fox cubs covered in oil and tar rescued from 20ft deep construction site pits

The cubs were found on separate days but all were stranded at the bottom of three pits measuring 20 foot – about the same size as a double decker bus – covered in oil.

An RSPCA wildlife centre in Cheshire is now caring for the fox cubs, whose mother is sadly thought to have died.

The first cub was rescued from the construction site on April 29, followed by another one the following day and a further two on May 1. The charity was called by workers on the site.

All of the cubs, which are from the same litter, were rescued despite the steep drop and had escaped serious injury.

They are now being cared for by a specialist team at the charity's Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Nantwich and are expected to make a full recovery.

RSPCA animal rescue officer Sophie Taylor, who was called to the site the first two times, used a ladder to climb down and rescue two female cubs. She said: "It was a steep descent and I was amazed, but relieved to find they hadn’t broken any bones.

"The pits were huge and they were difficult to spot at first, but they were well and truly stranded down there, there was absolutely no way out for them.

"Like so many of us who want the best for animals, the staff were really concerned for their wellbeing and they did the right thing by calling us, rather than attempting to handle the cubs themselves, who by that stage would have been frightened and stressed."

Sophie's colleague, animal rescue officer Tom Hall, was then called back to the site again on May 1 after a further two cubs – a male and female – were discovered in separate pits.

These two were said to be covered in oil and had bits of tar stuck to their fur.

Lee Stewart, manager at Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre where the foxes are being treated, said: "They were covered in oil when they arrived and their coats were greasy and smelt strongly of chemicals.

"Our vet was concerned they might have ingested the oil, so they were given oral charcoal treatment to help counteract that. We also carefully checked for any signs of burning to the skin before washing them with warm water and washing up liquid, and flushing their eyes and applying lubricant.

"They were all a little on the thin side, but not emaciated, although sadly we think their mum has probably perished. They’ll be carefully monitored by our wildlife team and will be with us for about six months. They’ll be joined over time by other fox cubs, most of whom will also have been orphaned.

"We’ll then find them a safe place initially where they can be ‘soft’ released and supported for a few weeks, during which time they will be independent. Then they'll venture off after a week or so to find a place and establish their own territory."

The RSPCA has thanked the workers at the site for the 'concern and compassion' they showed in contacting the charity and re-checking the site.

For advice and information on what to do if you see a wild animal in distress, visit the RSPCA's website.

Anyone wishing to support Stapeley Grange can do so here.