A group of baby bunnies had a lucky escape, just in time for Easter after they were dug
out of their warren by accident.
Christine Nixon, 51, came to the rescue when the bundle of eight tiny rabbits after her son Andrew unwittingly scooped them out as he moved tonnes of soil at the family's haulage plant.
Fortunately, the 27-year-old spotted something moving and found the bunnies trying to burrow their way out.
Easter surprise: Christine Nixon and the group of baby rabbits who had a lucky escape after they were inadvertently scooped out of their warren by her son
He sifted through tonnes of dirt to ensure they were all saved.
The litter are now being looked after by Christine, of Winston, near Barnard
Castle, County Durham.
Mrs Nixon said: 'Andrew dropped the soil into the wagon and saw something
moving.
'When he went over to look he found a baby rabbit on the soil and then we
spotted that the soil was still moving.
'He went to investigate, seven more struggled through to the surface. He brought them into me and they’re absolutely gorgeous. I think they’re about two-and-a-half weeks old.'
Mrs Nixon, who runs Nixon Haulage with her husband, David, first fed the
rabbits with goats’ milk from a syringe and they are now on a diet of grass and
dandelion leaves.
Hole lot of trouble: The digger Christine's son, Andrew, was using to move tonnes of soil
She said: 'When I came to feed them for the first time I was really frightened
that they wouldn’t feed.
'They were so vulnerable - the size of a small hamster with no fur. They hadn't
even opened their eyes.
'We had unwittingly destroyed their home, and I knew they were depending on me,
so I was very nervous that I wouldn't be able to care for them.
'To begin with, all eight were feeding every three hours. But I didn't mind
getting up to feed them through the night - I just wanted to make sure they
were OK.'
And Mrs Nixon has already used her mothering instinct to pick out the bunnies' personalities, naming them accordingly.
She said: 'They look identical, but we can tell them apart when we're feeding them as
they all have different personalities when they feed and sleep.
'We've got Greedy, Messy, Dopey, Sneezy, Dribbly and Meerkat so far.
'But I don't want to get too attached to them as they are not meant to be pets,
I will have to release them back into the wild.
'I'm being very strict and not allowing myself to cuddle them, although they
are very snuggly and so cute.
'As soon as they get sleepy after their feed, they just want to curl up with
you. It's adorable.'
She added: 'My grandchildren, Bethany, nine, Matthew, four, and Owen, two-and-a-half,
come round to see the rabbits now instead of coming to visit me!
'I'm so glad that we were able to save them just in time for Easter. It has
made the break all the more special for us.
hope that they stay around this area. I will be heartbroken to see them go.'