THE founder of a East Huntspill-based wildlife charity will find out whether she has won a national animal welfare award tonight.

Pauline Kidner, of Secret World Wildlife Rescue, has been nominated as part of the Ceva UK Animal Welfare Awards.

This comes after another amazing rescue by Kidner and her son Simon - coming to the aid of a badger which was found clinging onto a tyre in Bristol Harbour on Wednesday night.

The badger had fallen into the water near the SS Great Britain, and had spent around two hours struggling to stay afloat.

Pauline said she had been doing night feeds for a baby stoat, leveret and badger cub when she received a rescue call at 1.30am.

Pauline and Simon visited the harbour and attempted to catch it with a net.

"It was heart wrenching to see him swimming and crying at the same time," she said.

"It was still very lively despite the cold water and the freezing temperatures.

"The badger was very vocal with the effort of swimming and there was a fear that if it went quiet, that it would have finally gone under the water."

Eventually the badger managed to get itself between the harbour wall and a barge, and Simon was able to rescue it using a grasper, with the help of the man (called Ben) who had made the rescue call.

Pauline added: "Back in the car, the badger was still shivering from the cold but within the hour, he was in a warm and dry pen with food laid on. 

"Through exhaustion the badger was soon asleep, and was much brighter in the morning.

"He will stay with Secret World Wildlife Rescue in East Huntspill for a few days to recover. 
"Once better, he will be going home."

Tonight's Ceva Awards ceremony takes place at 7pm, with more information available here.