Squirrel on line causes power cut

Protection is added where there is more "squirrel activity"

About 1,700 homes and businesses in Shropshire lost power after a squirrel was electrocuted on an overhead line.

The squirrel died when it walked on a live section where a line and pole meet in Bayston Hill, Central Networks said.

Residents in the area have been most affected by the loss of supplies on Wednesday, a spokesman said.

He added that the company will look into whether it needs to put so-called "squirrel boots" in that area to protect the animals.

Supplies went off at about 0600 BST, but just 200 properties were without power by 0740 BST and only about a dozen were still off two hours later.

The Prees and Higher Heath areas have also been affected.

The spokesman said: "We can put squirrel boots to protect the squirrels walking across on our equipment.

"But with 48,000km of overhead lines in the Midlands we look to do that where we expect more squirrel activity."