One of Plymouth's beavers has died after escaping from enclosure

Beryl was hit by a car and died. Credit: Poole Farm

One of Plymouth's beavers has died after escaping from her enclosure.

Two beavers have been living in a specially-designed enclosure in Forder Valley as part of a re-wilding project.

But on Sunday 4 July, heavy rain caused damage to the enclosure's fence and both of the beavers escaped.

The female beaver, Beryl, was later found dead after being hit by a car.

In a statement, Poole Farm said: "We are deeply sad to report that Beryl, our female beaver, escaped from her enclosure on Sunday night and has been found dead.

"The team have identified where Brian, our male beaver, has found refuge and they are currently working to capture him and bring him back to a safe location.

"Sadly we think that Beryl made her way to the Forder Valley Nature Reserve and was hit by a car on Forder Valley Road at around 3.30am.

"We continue to work with the expert team of advisors who have guided the project from its inception and will now take some time to review the situation and decide what is best for Brian going forward.

"We are all really upset and we know that many residents who have been following Brian and Beryl's progress will be equally distressed about this news."