A woman has described the terrifying moment she was “chased around a petrol station by a badger”, causing her to drop her curry as she fled for safety.
Molly Padget, originally from Hawarden in North Wales, stopped in at the Shell garage on her way back from work but got more than she bargained for in a terrifying encounter with the local wildlife.
Badgers are usually shy of humans, and retreat underground when people are near, but in this case the belligerent beast appeared dead set on doing some late night shopping.
Molly described how she was chased by the badger as screaming staff members in the forecourt shop looked on.
The angry creature gave chase, with Molly forced to dash for safety until a valiant member of the public was eventually able to shoo the creature out with a broom, NorthWalesLive reports.
"It happened on Monday as I was on my way back from work at around 8:00pm. I stopped in at the Shell garage in Stafford and there it was," Molly recalled.
"A police officer walked in and saw it, but then just turned around and walked back out," she added. Despite appearances, the badger wasn't actually shopping, more so a case of nature quite literally calling: "He didn't take anything, he just ran into the loos." Molly said.
"I was scared though when he chased after me, I dropped my curry trying to get away by going down two different aisles, he was always close behind until he went into the bathroom. It's the first badger I've ever seen alive."
"None of the other staff members saw the badger come in, but when they did they all screamed. Then a random man asked for a brush and said he hadn't had his TB jab, but would have a good crack at ushering the badger out, which he did."
Badgers and badger setts (burrows) are protected under the Protection of Badgers Act 1992, in England and Wales.
This means you could be sent to prison for up to 6 months and get an unlimited fine if you’re found guilty of any of these offences:
- intentionally capture, kill or injure a badger
- damage, destroy or block access to their setts
- disturb badgers in setts
- treat a badger cruelly
- deliberately send or intentionally allow a dog into a sett
- bait or dig for badgers
Escorting a badger out of petrol station however, is allowed.