FIVE tiny ferrets have been rescued after being found abandoned close to Farmer Palmer’s Farm Park near Poole.

Sandra Palmer said that her dad, David, was out working on the farm, when he found a baby ferret at the entrance to Farmer Palmer’s in Organ-ford, which was brought indoors.

Just five days later, Sandra’s mum, Pat, was walking her dogs through some fields close to the farm, when she found four more small white ferrets and subsequently found two which had died.

“In addition one had been found in the road after being hit by car.

Sandra said: “My dad brought it in for us to look at and gave it to me and the family to look after.

She added: “A few days later, my mum was walking her dogs, when she found four more in one of the far fields and two dead ones. They were scruffy, dirty and about the length of your hand in size.”

Sandra said that they appear to have been well looked after before they were found, as they do not appear underfed, but added that they would’ve almost certainly have died if they had not been discovered.

“We’ve re-homed one with one of the children’s school friends and the rest have been collected by a farming friend who keeps ferrets, so we know they will be well looked after.”

Mark Young, publicity officer for Wessex Ferret Club, said: “If ferrets or the babies, which are called kits, escape then they will not stick together. They will go off their own separate ways.

He added: “I hate to say it but if there is a group of them together and nobody can be found within, say, quarter-of-a-mile away who owns them, then there is a high chance that they have been dumped.

“They have a fantastic sense of smell, but terrible eyesight, so the road is really their biggest enemy as they will just walk out into it and possibly get hit by a car.”