A vulnerable badger was rescued by an animal charity after it was spotted by a member of the public on the edge of an elevated part of the M5.

The animal was curled up on the side of the motorway on a ledge with a drop "over 100-metre drop" on the other side.

Animal rescuers coordinated with the highway police to close off the M5 between Clevedon and Easton in Gordano on Saturday (February 18).

A video shows two workers from Secret World Wildlife Rescue netting the creature and loading it into a cage.

A member of the public spotted the animal who was thought to be in distress while driving past.

Secret World Wildlife Rescue said in a statement: "At 4pm in the afternoon, a member of the public noticed a badger curled up on the side of the elevated M5 between Clevedon and Easton in Gordano.

"She sent us a video and we were very concerned as it was in a typical badger position, with its head covered by its paws, so we knew there was every chance it was still alive even though it must have been there all day.

"Positioned on the cement edge, if it were to fall there was a drop of 100 metres or more.

"Staff from Secret World Wildlife Rescue alerted the motorway police, and were accompanied in our animal ambulance to where the badger was.

"Traffic was stopped and our staff were able to net the badger and quickly had her safe inside a badger cage."

The badger was then taken in by the organisation and was seen by a vet, who concluded that the animal was uninjured and could be released back into the wild.

"We’re really pleased to report that she has gone home and hopefully won’t go wandering up the motorway again.

"At least that is one badger who has been given a second chance in the wild," they added.