Boris the barmy badger

A man needed two skin grafts after a crazed badger escaped from a wildlife park and attacked five people.

The animal - named Boris - chased terrified passers-by and at one point forced police to jump on to the bonnet of a patrol car to escape his savage bite.

One victim described Boris's 48-hour rampage through a genteel suburb of Evesham in Worcestershire as 'like a scene from a bizarre horror movie'.

Retired BBC employee Michael Fitzgerald, 67, was attacked when he went to investigate strange noises inside his garage in the dead of night.

His wife Pam, 60, said: 'He opened the door and the badger sat there and then just slowly walked towards him. It grabbed his arm and Michael screamed.

'He managed to get if off his arm, only for the badger to attack his leg. He lost quite a lot of skin and will be very badly scarred.'

Last night, Mr Fitzgerald was recovering from skin grafts after the attack by Boris, who was released during a burglary at a nearby wildlife centre.

'It was terrifying,' Mrs Fitzgerald added. 'We didn't expect a badger to attack because usually, when they smell a human, they disappear.'

Mike Weaver, of the Worcestershire Badger Society, said Boris pounced on a second man as he walked home from a pub - and at least three people. He added: 'The police said Boris kept some of their officers at bay and they had to jump on to a car bonnet to escape.'

Boris was eventually captured and put down.

Caroline Gould, of the Vale Wildlife Rescue Centre, said: 'We did not notice he was missing because he spent most of the time underground. He was hand-reared and had no fear of humans, which was why he attacked.'