THE ‘batman’ had to be called after an injured baby bat was found at a popular Rossendale theatre workshop.

Staff at the Horse and Bamboo Theatre in Waterfoot had no idea that bats were nesting in the attic of their Bacup Road site.

But as two puppet creators were hard at work the small new born, and still furless, baby bat fell from the rafters and on to the floor near them.

The bat, now identified as a common pipistrelle, survived the fall and began searching for its mother.

Joint artistic director at the theatre, Bob Frit, said: “It was my colleague Alison who first saw the bat fall.

"Initially she didn’t even recognise what it was. It was very tiny and had no fur.

"It was very, very young.

“We had no idea what to do with it so we began ringing round to get some advice.

“Luckily we managed to get hold of a volunteer at the East Lancashire Bat Group who had also rescued another bat the same age from a property in Rawtenstall just an hour before.

“The bat man arrived in what he called ‘the bat ambulance’ and said it was a really good sign that the bat was moving around.

“He said he couldn’t think of any reason why it wouldn’t survive.

“We were all really pleased it had a little friend.”

Following the discovery on Tuesday afternoon it is now thought the Bacup Road theatre has a maternity colony resting its attic.

Bob added: “Having a maternity colony in the attic is a privilege of sorts, isn’t it? We just had no idea.

“We don’t intend do anything with them at the moment as they are not causing any trouble.

“We were really grateful the East Lancashire Bat Group were on hand to help the little creature.”

The volunteer for the group, based at Towneley Hall, Burnley, took both baby bats home to hand-rear them.

The day-old bats will be brought up on almond milk for the next couple of weeks.