The team from Lanes for Drains East Midlands depot discovered the ferret during a routine cleanse and survey of the site.

Lanes engineer Michael Patterson said: “We suddenly saw a head peeping out of the pipe but didn¹t realise what it was at first.

“Then one of our traffic management guys came over and threw a chicken sandwich into the manhole chamber which enticed the animal out of the pipe. It was then we saw that it was a ferret.”

Taylor Woodrow site engineer Wayne Batham said: “I thought it was a joke when the guys rang me.

“But meantime the whole scheme had come to a standstill whilst plans were made for operation rescue ferret!”

A nearby pub had lost a ferret they had borrowed for pest control after being plagued with rats.

The landlord released two ferrets down the drain but only one came back.

The lost ferret has now been reunited with its owner.