A TAWNY owl had to be rescued by firefighters after its leg became entangled in a discarded fishing line.

Anglers have been criticised by the RSPCA for being careless with their fishing tackle.

The owl spent all night sitting balanced on the branch of a tree and could have died if it had fallen into the river below.

An emergency vehicle from Worcester fire brigade was called to the scene yesterday after being alerted by the animal charity.

Firefighters used an inflatable boat to rescue the bird, which was trapped on an island in the middle of Holt Fishing Pools, near Worcester.

If it had got weak and fallen in, it would have drowned, said Julia Sly, an inspector for the RSPCA, who helped rescued the bird. "He was very depressed and quiet because of being there all night.

He was around 2ft above the water and the line was deeply embedded in his right leg.

Miss Sly said the accident had happened because of a tangled fishing line discarded in a tree by an angler.

It would help if fishermen would be more careful with their lines and collect them when they become entangled in the branches, said Miss Sly.

The bird was taken to Vale Wildlife Centre in Beckford, near Evesham, for observation.

Charles Eden, who has owned Holt Fishing Pools for 30 years, said this was only second time the RSPCA had come out to his premises.

He said he was alerted to the trapped owl by an angler yesterday.

The fishing lines are a damn nuisance, said the 74-year-old, from Magpie Close, St Peter's, Worcester.

If I catch any fisherman leaving their line on the bank, or leaving it tangled up, they're banned for life from the pool. I'm an animal lover myself and fisherman here must respect the fish, animals and land and take their rubbish away or put it into the facilities provided.