Baby beaver recovery celebrated

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The beaver has been looked after by wardens

A baby beaver thought to be the first hand-reared in the UK has been nursed back to health by experts at a Lancashire wildlife centre.

The six-month-old unnamed beaver was found with serious injuries when he was only just weeks old.

Wardens at the Martin Mere Wildlife centre, in Burscough, nursed the young beaver, known as a kit, back to health.

The kit is the offspring of TV stars Twiggy and Woody, who starred in the BBC's Autumnwatch programme in 2007.

'Quirky personality'

A Martin Mere spokeswoman said: "He was very poorly and without our intervention he would have died."

She said it was unclear how he sustained his injuries.

Wardens created a specially-designed enclosure for the kit and put him on a course of antibiotics.

He has since made a speedy recovery.

Staff said the kit had a "quirky" personality and loved to play with a toy beaver and throw it in the water.

His favourite foods, they said, include sweetcorn and sweet potato.

From 20 December visitors to the west Lancashire wildlife centre will be able to see the young kit via a live camera link in his enclosure.

Andy Wooldridge, Martin Mere manager, said: "We are delighted with his progress and it is a joy to see his character develop."