THIS little piggy had a narrow escape when she was rescued from a busy roundabout close to a motorway after being dumped.

A member of the public contacted the RSPCA after spotting the piglet on the roundabout at Junction 7 of the M62 at Rainhill.

RSPCA animal collection officer Derek Hampson said: "The roundabout has a lot of undergrowth and bushes and the piglet was hiding herself in there. We managed to get her to come out using food.

“The roundabout is in the middle of a huge motorway junction and there is no way she would have been able to have got there on her own, therefore we do believe she was dumped there because it is such a strange place for a piglet to be.

“It is hard to know why a little piglet like this may have been dumped, but many people take on pigs as pets without realising how difficult they can be to care for. We urge anyone wanting to take on a pig as a pet to do their research and make sure they can provide for their needs."

The piglet, a cross between a Vietnamese potbelly and Kunekune, has been named Heidi and is now being cared for at a specialist rescue centre in Yorkshire. It is believed that she is just a few weeks old.

Anyone with information about the piglet is asked to call the RSPCA’s appeals line on 0300 123 8018.

A spokesperson from the RSPCA explained that pigs are highly intelligent, social animals who prefer to be in the company of other pigs. They need to be given the right care and not kept inside a person’s house and also need to be treated by a vet who is knowledgeable about the breed.

They need plenty of space outside and things to occupy them as well as a suitable shelter.

You can find more information on the requirements for ensuring the welfare of a pig and the many legal requirements at www.rspca.org.uk/allaboutanimals/pets/farmanimals/pigs