A NEW wildlife rescue service has been launched in Sedgemoor

Called Badger Care People (BCP), volunteers from the service will be provide a night service for all wildlife and animal casualties after Secret World Wildlife Rescue announced it was cutting its service.

Although primarily for badgers, the group will care for all animals and wildlife, and will operate from 8pm until 8am ever night, and will go out to calls of animal and wildlife injuries and fatalities around the district and help care for them.

The stricken animals will then be transferred into the care of another animal and wildlife organisations, which will generally be Secret World Wildlife Rescue in East Huntspill, the following the morning.

Volunteers decided to launch the service after the wildlife rescue centre announced it would be scaling back its rescue operations.

The new group is being spearheaded by Pauline Kidner, who was one of the original founders of the East Huntspill wildlife centre.

She said: "Once we realised there was nowhere for them to go, many of us wanted to help with rescues, care and assessment of animals during the night.

"So we have formed a group to help and provide advice whenever we can.

"We are working with the Somerset and Devon badger groups but are there for all wildlife.

"With just over 70 members, we will do as much as possible."

All the animals rescued by BCP will be cared for at Ms Kidner's New Road Farm until the following morning.

Ms Kidner, who still works with Secret World Wildlife Rescue as an advisor, added: "This new group is a completely separate entity from Secret World.

"Secret World is quite rightly focusing on raising funds for a Wildlife Hospital that is desperately needed to carry out all aspects of the rehabilitation of their many casualties.”

Badger Care People is a totally voluntary group, fulfilling a very important need. Without their service there would often be nobody to provide assistance and care for these animals.

If you need help or would like to volunteer/donate to the new service, call 07954 036687 or 01342 870220, or email info@badgercarepeople.org