One of the helpful badgers at the sett.
BADGERS have uncovered a cache of buried treasured memories.
German shepherd Breez, helping Badger Trust IW monitor setts for a forthcoming TV documentary, brought to his handler’s attention a digital camera the badgers had uncovered at Hamstead.
Trust sett officer Graham Lee said: "The camera was pretty well water-logged and caked in mud and there was no way it would work but I know these memory cards are waterproof so I popped it in my camera to see if I could trace the owner and I recognised one lady in a photo.
"I contacted her, asking if she had recently lost a camera — and she was a bit taken aback as it was stolen in a burglary over a year ago. I returned it to her and she contacted the police and insurance company to say the camera had just been found."
The next day at the sett, Mr Lee found more items on the surface — a watch, a broken gold bracelet, camera case and a sturdy smashed-open metal cash-box.
He took the items to Yarmouth Police Station and hopes the watch and bracelet might be returned to their rightful owners.
Mr Lee said: "It is a nice thought that although badgers are being persecuted on the Island, they still find ways to delight and amuse us — even to the point where they inadvertently manage to return a stash of stolen goods.
"I am hoping they dig up a pot of gold next time."
Reporter: richardw@iwcpmail.co.uk