THE RSPCA Cymru has shared some of its favourite rescue stories from last year.

The Welsh animal rescue charity faces 8,000 incidents every year - more than 20 per day - and they can spring the most unexpected surprises for staff, ranging from pet rescues to exotic wild animals.

Among them was an abseil off a 100-foot cliff at the Great Orme amid bad weather conditions in January to save a sheep at risk of falling. The woolly wayfarer was winched by rescuers about 70-feet from the ground and returned to its farmer, who sounded the alarm after spotting the missing flock member.

More unlikely was the exotic frog that made a 5,000-mile trip in a bunch of bananas from Columbia to an Asda store in Llanelli. Rescuers were alerted to the incident by a member of staff, and the banana tree frog was taken to a nearby marine life specialist centre where he continues to live in a specially-made humid environment.

In August, three orphaned baby hedgehogs were returned to the wild after two months of rehabilitation and care. They went into RSPCA care after their nest in Pembrokeshire was accidentally disturbed. They weighed just 27g, 30g and 32g respectively but grew while being hand-fed electrolyte fluids and a special milk formula, before they were big and strong enough to be returned to the wild.

Another unexpected animal to be rescued was in Denbigh after a resident’s dog found a scorpion running across her living room floor in September. While rescuers found that the arachnid species was not dangerous, it was not known whether it was an escaped pet or had travelled in a neighbour’s holiday luggage.

In Llanelli, workers at a gym equipment warehouse were stunned to find a grey seal pup amongst the treadmills, believed to have travelled up the River Loughor before making his way into the warehouse. Staff ushered him out and back into the river but he was found, two days later, in a nearby ditch that was full of oily water. Again rescuers were called and collected the sick, underweight pup and gave him urgent care. The seal is now with RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre undergoing rehabilitation.

“As well as the companionship of our wonderful pets, animals have also provided us with some memorable moments,” an RSPCA spokesperson said.