Savage squirrel attacks girl, 15

From the Salisbury Journal, first published Wednesday 21st Sep 2005.

A SALISBURY mother has warned people to beware of squirrels after one of the bushy-tailed rodents attacked and bit her teenage daughter in a city park last week.

Lorna Cooper (15) was walking through The Council House grounds in Bourne Hill when the squirrel pounced on her hand as she bent down to pick up a bag she'd dropped.

The animal clung onto her left forefinger as the screaming schoolgirl tried frantically to shake it off.

"Lorna swung the squirrel around to try and get if off but it had a firm lock on her finger and just wouldn't let go," her mother, Alanna Cooper told the Journal.

"She was shouting and screaming and there was apparently a lot of blood.

"Three or four other girls and a woman went to her assistance and eventually the squirrel let go and ran back up a tree."

Lorna, who lives at Hill Road, Laverstock and is a pupil at St Edmund's School was afterwards taken to Salisbury District Hospital, where she was given a tetanus injection and antibiotics.

"She was in a lot of pain and very shaken up," said Mrs Cooper.

"Lorna had finished school and was walking down to town to go to the library when the attack occurred. It was a big squirrel and has left her very frightened. She has said she'll never walk through Bourne Hill grounds again."

Squirrels are prolific in the Bourne Hill and Arts Centre grounds area and it is thought that Lorna might have been a victim of other people's habit of feeding them.

Salisbury district council's park manager Reg Williams said: "The problem is that more and more people are feeding squirrels and as a result they are becoming less wary of people and are more likely to come over to you.

"It's a similar problem with pigeons and the only solution is to stop feeding them. This is a common problem in urban areas up and down the country.

"Although squirrels look cute and furry it is important for people to remember they are wild animals and have very sharp teeth."

Phil Groombridge, of Wiltshire Wildlife Rescue said: "People need to be wary of squirrels, especially at the moment when there is very little food about for them.

"The best advice is not to get too close to them and never try to stroke them.

"They will turn very quickly and they have one of the nastiest bites, as I know from experience - because I once ended up in hospital after one jumped on me, bit me on the head and then bit me on the hand."

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