A WOMAN from Fairford was shocked to find a bat in her bathroom this morning.

Commenting: "Heeeeeeeelp!!!! I’ve got a bat in my bathroom. Please someone help!!!!", she posted this picture of the bat on the Fairford- Our Page, Our Town, Our Community Facebook page.

Lots of helpful advice was offered, including a recommendation not to let the bat out of the house yet, as it is too hot outside, but rather pop it in a box till the evening and let it go then.

A spokesman for the Bats Conservation Trust said: “Bats don’t want to enter the living areas of people’s homes but it does happen by accident occasionally.

“This may be linked to young bats who are still learning to fly or who have lost their way."

If you do find a bat in your home, the National Bat Helpline may be able to point you toward experienced independent volunteers in your area who can take over from there.

If not, you can take the bat to your nearest veterinary practice.

The Bat Conservation Trust offers the following advice on containing a bat:

Start by creating a bat care box. You will need:

A shoe box, with holes punched in the lid (or container of equivalent size)

A cloth or teatowel

A plastic bottle cap (milk bottle tops are perfect)

You may be able to get the bat into the box without touching it, but if you do need to touch it, please wear gloves due to the small risk of rabies transmission. You're very unlikely to be bitten or scratched if you follow our procedure, but if it does happen, please seek immediate medical advice.

There’s no evidence that bats in the UK carry any coronaviruses that can be passed to humans. However, we don’t yet know whether humans can pass the Covid-19 virus to wild animals. So, for the bat’s protection, we’d recommend that you cover your nose and mouth when you contain the bat. It doesn’t have to be a proper medical mask – you can use a tea towel or T-shirt.

If possible, contain the bat as you would a spider, by placing the box on top of it and sliding a piece of card underneath. If that's not possible, cover the bat with a soft cloth, such as a tea towel, and carefully scoop it up and place it in your bat care box. (It's especially important to wear gloves if you use the second method.)

Put a tea towel or soft cloth in the box for the bat to hide under.

Prepare a bat "water dish." Take a small, shallow container such as a plastic milk bottle top or furniture caster and add just a few drops of water (not enough for the bat to drown in). Put this in the box so the bat can help itself to a drink. Make sure the water is topped up regularly.

Keep the bat indoors somewhere quiet and dark while you call the National Bat Helpline on 0345 1300 228..

There's no need to give the bat any food, or to put anything in the box besides the cloth and water.

Please don't release the bat before getting further advice.

For more information visit bats.org.uk/