Otter pup rescued from Tesco van's engine

The pup was seen being attacked by birds at the Tesco Extra store on Tuesday, October 11.

The scared young female sought refuge under the van and ended up in the engine compartment.

The RSPCA was called to the superstore and about an hour later the pup was rescued.

The female otter was rescued from the Tesco van (Image: PA Media)

On the day before a male otter pup was rescued by another RSPCA worker around half a mile away, and it is thought they are siblings.

The male pup was seen on a pavement before running into a plant hire company in Scrivener Drive, where staff caught him in a box and called the animal rescue charity.

Both pups, believed to be around three to four months old, are being cared for at South Essex Wildlife Hospital in Orsett, where they will stay for a number of months before they are returned to the wild.

RSPCA inspector Caroline Richardson, who carried out the Tesco rescue, said: “When I got the call I must admit I expected to find a ferret or a rat stuck in the engine – but, when I reached in to get a better look, there was the cutest little face staring back at me.

The female otter reunited with her brother after being rescued from inside the engine compartment of a Tesco delivery van (Image: PA Media)

“The otter was not coming out of her own accord and the staff had been trying to lure her out with some food on a stick. As this seemed to work, I carried on with the approach and then, when the moment was right, I was able to use my rescue equipment to grab her and pull her out.

“Despite her ordeal she was not injured – and she was quite curious – and it soon became apparent she was just a baby.”

Ms Richardson said she knew her colleague had been in the area the day before to collect another otter pup from the plant hire business.

She said the animals were too young to be out of their den and she believes “unfortunately something must have happened to mum or the den was disturbed”.