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A bat inadvertently hitched a ride in a timber shipment and napped 300 miles (482km) from Belgium to the UK.

The sleeping Nathusius' pipistrelle was found between planks of wood sent to Timbersource Ltd in Shepton Mallet.

Naomi Sim from Bristol Bat Rescue said: "He looked in good condition with really fluffy fur. He was very perky and tried to fly out of my hand."

Larger colonies are recorded in Europe and they are known to migrate to the UK, where they are considered rare.

The bat, nicknamed Waffle, will remain in quarantine for a month.

Owner of the company, Ashley Kemp, said the hardwood came from a supplier in Kortrijk, Belgium. The timber was about to be cut when workers spotted the creature tucked in between the layers of wood.

The rescuers, who work with the Bat Conservation Trust, are trying to decide how and where to release the bat into the wild.

One option is to release the creature into a local bat colony in Blagdon Lake.

Despite his long journey, volunteers said Waffle was a "good weight" because he fell into a state of torpor, which is similar to hibernation, to conserve energy.

Bristol Bat Rescue typically rescues about 200 bats a year, of which a quarter are usually baby bats.