A young bat found with a fish hook through his nose has made a dramatic recovery after being discovered dangling from a tree in Lanarkshire.

The Scottish SPCA discovered him in a state of distress after they received a call from a concerned person who spotted him caught up on the fishing line last month.

Scottish SPCA Animal Rescue Officer Dawn-Vale Lowdon said: "We can't say how long the bat had been suffering but we're just thankful someone spotted him and alerted us when they did as it's not always such a happy ending.

"He came right back to life once the hook was removed and wanted to fly away right there and then!

"He made a fantastic recovery which was very unexpected as his injury looked quite severe.

"Thanks to his quick recovery, after a check-up, we were able to release him back into the wild."

Since the start of the year the Scottish SPCA has been alerted to a high number of animals who have had injuries from fishing tackle.

It has been mainly birds and seals that have become entangled in debris.

"The vast majority of fishermen are very responsible and take care to clear away their equipment after they've used it," said Dawn-Vale Lowdon.

"However, we want to remind anyone fishing not to leave their litter as they could kill wildlife by doing so."

Anyone concerned about the welfare of an animal should contact the Scottish SPCA animal helpline on 03000 999 999.