FIREFIGHTERS rescued a pigeon which was tangled in wire mesh under a bridge in Prestwich.

A crew from Whitefield was called to the road bridge in Fairfax Road at 7.40pm on Saturday (December 20) to cut free the bird, which had been stuck for 36 hours.

The wire meshing had been installed earlier this year after complaints from pedestrians about the birds’ droppings.

It was designed to stop pigeons from sitting or roosting under the bridge.

A member of the public had spotted the tangled animal and phoned an RSPCA inspector, who called out firefighters after being unable to reach the bird.

Officers used a ladder to climb up to the animal before gently cutting it free from the mesh.

The pigeon was taken into the care of the RSPCA to be checked over for injuries.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service said: “The member of the public did the right thing by calling the RSPCA instead of trying to rescue to bird.”