A LUCKY seagull was rescued by fire crews after becoming ensnared in fishing wire which had become wound around the top of a tree.

The stricken bird was spotted by concerned passers-by in Lea Close, Gossops Green, near Crawley, shortly before 1pm on Friday.

Teams from West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service were called to help, but they faced a major hurdle.

The seagull was stuck 25ft in the air, in a tree overhanging a lake.

The Argus: The lucky gullThe lucky gull

But, thanks to a boat borrowed from a local tree surgeon and an extendable cutting device, firefighters were still able to free the bird.

WSFRS's Technical Rescue Unit (TRU) watch manager Mick Lewin said: “When we arrived we could see the gull was visibly distressed – it was hanging by its wing having got caught up in some fishing wire at the top of this tree that must have been 20, 25ft high.

“With the help of a local tree surgeon who had a small boat on the lake we were able to get right underneath the tree and used an extendable pole with a cutting mechanism on the end to free the gull and bring it safely down to the ground.

The Argus: The challenging situation faced by firefightersThe challenging situation faced by firefighters

“We were then able to hand it over to the RSPCA for a check-over, and fortunately there was no lasting damage.

“We train for rescues from height regularly, and would always urge members of the public to give us a call if they spot an animal or person in distress, rather than putting themselves at risk.”