SWNS The little winged rodent got stuck in fly paper

The winged patient was soaked in a little bath of washing up liquid and warm water to remove the glue after accidentally flying into the sticky trap. The pipistrelle bat, who weighed just five grammes, was found exhausted, dehydrated and close to death near Dorchester in Dorset. It was taken to the RSPCA's centre at West Hatch near Taunton, where staff removed the paper, fed it fluids and put it under a heat lamp.

Manager at RSPCA West Hatch, Bel Deering, said: "This poor little pipistrelle bat came into our care after having been stuck to sticky fly paper.

Glue traps are inhumane and indiscriminate and we urge people to think twice before using one Bel Deering, RSPCA West Hatch

"He was in a bad way when he came in to us. He was exhausted and dehydrated. "He was fed electrolytes orally and put under a heat lamp. After he had stabilised he was given a warm bath to remove the glue. "He seems to be feeling better for having a bath as he is now eating well and can be quite feisty when he takes mealworms from the tweezers.

SWNS The RSPCA fed him through a pipe as he was weak and dehydrated

"We are hoping to move him to a special enclosure - a flexarium - over the next couple of days so he can build up his flying strength again before he is released back into the wild." The RSPCA is opposed to the manufacture, sale and use of all glue traps because they cause unacceptable suffering and a slow death to all animals that encounter them. Bel added: "This bat had a lucky escape because it does not always turn out this way. "If he had been left there then he would have died a slow death from dehydration, starvation or exhaustion.

SWNS The little pipistrelle is now fine and ready to start flying again before being released to the wild