A sick badger has died after being pulled from a sewer, covered in human waste.

Animal charity volunteers rescued the two animals but the female creature did not survive, despite the best efforts of staff at the South Essex Wildlife Hospital.

The male badger is still recovering at the animal charity.

A spokesman said: "Our chums from the Badger Group, who also volunteers for us, rescued two badgers from a sewer that were covered in human waste.

"The badgers had clearly been trapped for several days and they arrived collapsed, dehydrated, emaciated and suffering badly from hypothermia.

"Their temperatures were so low the thermometer was unable to get a reading. As they were so close to death we urgently started to warm them up and got warmed fluid drips and medication into them.

"Their injured paws, with no circulation, had turned white, they have wounds around their heads where they had been desperately trying to escape through the drain pipes. "They have been convulsing and fitting and still may not pull through."