A bloodied otter that was left fighting for its life after being found stranded on a driveway in Thetford has been euthanased due to the extent of its injuries.

Eastern Daily Press: Kevin Murphy, membership officer for the UK Wild Otter Trust. Picture: SubmittedKevin Murphy, membership officer for the UK Wild Otter Trust. Picture: Submitted (Image: Archant)

Kevin Murphy, a membership officer for the UK Wild Otter Trust, said he recieved confirmation from the RSPCA's wildlife hospital at East Winch on Friday that the animal 'was put to sleep because it was so badly injured'.

'I was really hoping it would make it, but the injuries were severe,' he said. 'Hopefully we can now find out what killed it.'

Mr Murphy said he had received a text on Thursday morning regarding an injured otter in a lady's driveway. 'I hurried to Thetford and, after a brief search, we found the otter under a bush.

'The lady said she had seen it in the area before. Her house was about 200 to 300 yards from the nearest water. It was in a very poor condition and its eyes were shut.

'Most of the damage was confined to the face. I think it had either been in a fight with another otter or possibly a fox. It could have also been a disease, it was hard to tell.'

He pointed out the level of the water in the nearby river was also low, but was unsure if this had anything to do with the otter's condition.

Mr Murphy said: 'I drove to East Winch's RSPCA Wildlife hospital for urgent treatment for the otter. It hardly weighed anything as I transferred it over to their care. It's breathing had really slowed down and was extremely thin.'

On Friday when he followed up to see how it was doing he was told the animal had been euthanased.

Being semi-aquatic, nocturnal creatures, otters are quite hard to spot. Their numbers are increasing in Norfolk after populations declined catastrophically throughout England in the late 1950s.