AN animal rescue charity has been barred from using its ambulance to retrieve injured animals on Forestry Commission land.

Scott Passmore, who runs A Wild Life With Animals, has been providing an animal rescue service in the Forest of Dean since 2012, but he has now been told that he is not allowed to use his vehicle to save wounded animals in the woods.

Mr Passmore is concerned that wild animals that become injured could suffer needlessly as a result of this.

He said: “The Forestry Commission has stated that we do not have permission to go onto its land to attend and help injured animals.”

Mr Passmore explained that because the staff work office hours and a deer got tangled in a fence on Friday evening, it would have to wait until Monday to be seen to.

Deputy Surveyor Kevin Stannard, told Mr Passmore: “The Forestry Commission have not granted ‘A Wildlife with Animals’ any permission to recover or dispatch injured animals on our ground. Consequently we will not allow vehicular access to the forest.”

A Forestry Commission spokesperson added: “Animal welfare is important to us when managing our land in the Forest of Dean. We employ professional wildlife and forestry staff to deal with animal welfare issues on our land.”