Mystery as chicken couple found trapped at dance music festival... But no one knows how they got there
Two chickens found trapped in a hedge at the Creamfields music festival have been rescued by the RSPCA.
The cockerel and hen are believed to have strayed onto the festival campsite at the Daresbury Estate, near Warrington, before the four-day electronic dance music event began.
Festival-goers spotted the birds running along a hedge, with one helping RSPCA Inspector Leanne Cooper carry out the unusual rescue on Saturday, August 29.
Leanne had to make her way through roadblocks and security before crossing muddy fields on foot to reach the pair.
She said: “I was surprised that they were inside the festival site and I needed to get through the road blocks and security before reaching them on foot through muddy fields. I met the caller who helped me as they were just running up and down the hedge line where there was a wire fence blocking access.
“We managed to guide them out and I caught both of them with my rescue net which was a bit of a sight for the festival campers.
“I don’t think they were abandoned and they’re more likely to be stray because it’s farmland all around the festival site.
"They don’t have any health issues, apart from being quite underweight. With the fences going up a week before the festival starts they’d probably been unable to get out for some time and had been left foraging in the hedge. Someone mentioned that a third bird was also trapped, although we couldn’t find any others. I am really grateful to the festival-goer who found them and alerted us to their plight.”
Leanne spoke to a local farmer, but none of his birds were missing. It is believed the pair may have been kept on a smallholding in the area.
The chickens are now recovering from their ordeal at the RSPCA’s Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre. They will be rehomed if their owner cannot be found.
The cockerel has distinctive black and orange plumage, while the hen has white feathers.
Anyone with information about their ownership should contact the RSPCA on 0300 123 8018 and quote reference number 01892547.
