Two otter cubs are being cared for by the RSPCA (Picture: RSPCA)

A pair of orphaned otter cubs rescued during the recent storms that battered Britain have become best friends at an animal centre.

Santon and Storm are being cared for at the RSPCA Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre in Cheshire after they were both separated from their mothers in river storm surges.

The 12-week old female cub, Santon, was discovered shivering and cold in a barn at the back of a pub in Holmerook, Cumbria, on January 12.

Storm (pictured) and Santon have become best friends (Picture: RSPCA)

A stranded Storm was discovered by a member of the public who was out walking near the banks of an estuary in Gwynedd, north-west Wales, on Boxing Day.




‘Santon was found along the River Irt following a massive storm just after New Year,’ explained Lee Stewart, a manager at the RSPCA centre.

Storm was found on Boxing Day (Picture: RSPCA)

‘The raging river must have washed the cub downstream following the heavy rains, separating her from her mother. The cub was found in a barn at the back of the pub all forlorn, cold and shivering

‘We have now introduced Santon and Storm and they are doing really well. They are both on a diet of trout and really enjoying it.’

Both will eventually be returned back to the wild when they are big enough to fend for themselves.