On the usual walk to the next village this morning, by a tributary of the Hampshire Avon, I heard an really unusual noise.
It was a very quiet rasping sound and had no idea what it was. As I looked at the banked hedgerow, I saw a few leaves move, so assumed it was a shrew, or similar. When I moved closer, the same leaves moved and the sound continued. Next step, it moved again, but it wasn't getting away.
I peeled back the leaves, to find this fella. He was hanging down the bank, reaching forwards, but had his rear left leg stuck in some thorns.
I released the thorns, he tumbled down the bank, took a few more bounds and posed for a piccy.
Hope he finds somewhere nice to hibernate.