A STRICKEN owl had to be rescued by police after it became stuck on the A12.

Officers from the Essex Police Roads Policing Unit were called to the stretch near Hatfield Peverel on Friday morning following reports a barn owl had been spotted sat in the central reservation.

It is not known what was wrong with the owl but officers rushed it off to Spring Lodge Vets in Witham to receive treatment.

The Roads Policing Unit has since tweeted an update to say the owl, which officers named Stan, has been left in the care of the Essex Wildlife Trust.

They wrote: "Update on Stan, we have spoken to the vets at Spring Lodge and he is being transferred to Essex Wildlife Trust. He’s still with us."