Woman discovers bat in toilet during heatwave

The creature, later nicknamed Louis, was discovered floating in the loo having flown in through an open window.

It was searching for water during the heatwave, experts say.

Weakened and dehydrated, it was carefully rescued from the bathroom in Sussex using a garden trowel before being dried off.

Sussex Wildlife Trust's Bluesky channel pointed the finder towards expert advice and she called Sussex Bat Group volunteers.

The woman, who didn't wish to be named, said: "I’ve learnt so much about bats from this wonderful and unsought encounter with a beautiful wild creature, including that so many are dehydrated and that the biggest single cause of injury is cats, who lurk outside their roosting places.

"And that they can find refuge in the tiniest gaps under hung tiles and in other nooks and crannies on older buildings."

Louis was taken into the care of Sussex Bat Hospital’s Amanda Millar, who confirmed he was a Serotine - one of the UK's larger bat species.

Though thin and exhausted on arrival, a week of rest and a steady diet of mealworms restored him to full health and ready for a test flight, proving he was fit to return home.

At dusk, Louis was driven back to the garden where he was found and released.

He flew off over the honeysuckle and into the night, with a bat later spotted flitting across the darkening sky, possibly Louis finding his way home.

Sussex Wildlife Trust is reminding residents that summer heatwaves can leave bats dehydrated and searching for water in unexpected places.

Anyone who finds a bat in distress is encouraged to contact their local Bat Group for advice.