Brazen badger is caught on CCTV using catflap to steal food from couple's home after wife wakes up to find the 'smelly' animal at her bedside

  • Zoe and Bruce Henderson set up CCTV at their home  in Saltdean, East Sussex
  • They noticed that something had been stealing their pet cat's food in the kitchen
  • After receiving a late night alert, Ms Henderson saw the badger in her kitchen This is the moment a badger sneaks through the catflap of a couple's home in Sussex and steals food from their pet's bowl. 

    Zoe Henderson and her husband Bruce set up the CCTV system after Mrs Henderson was confronted in bed one night by the badger who had been raiding their home for food. 

    The Hendersons had heard noises in the kitchen in Saltdean but by the time they got downstairs they saw a shape vanishing out of their cat flap. This is the moment a badger sneaked through a catflap into a home in Saltdean, East Sussex

    This is the moment a badger sneaked through a catflap into a home in Saltdean, East Sussex

    Zoe Henderson and her husband Bruce set up a CCTV system at their home to capture images of their night time intruder

    Zoe Henderson and her husband Bruce set up a CCTV system at their home to capture images of their night time intruder

    The couple heard a banging noise coming from their kitchen where they were confronted by this 'brazen' badger

    The couple heard a banging noise coming from their kitchen where they were confronted by this 'brazen' badger

    Zoe Henderson (pictured with husband Bruce) was confronted in bed by the badger

    Zoe Henderson (pictured with husband Bruce) was confronted in bed by the badger

    However a few nights later while Mrs Henderson was sleeping she felt something at beside her bed and woke up startled as she came 'face-to-face' with a badger.

    She said: 'I felt something press on the side of the bed and I woke up, it was like 4am or something ridiculous, and turned over to see a badger with its two front feet on my bed.

    'He was standing on his back feet with his front feet on the side of the bed and I rolled over thinking it was one of the cats trying to get up.

    'It was a badger's nose that I came face to face with, and not a cat.

    'I sat up with a bit of a start and he legged it through the hallway and out through the cat flap. It was a bit strange but I wasn't really scared - I like all animals.' 

    The pair set up CCTV cameras to see what their unexpected visitor was getting up to and the next time Mrs Henderson heard him she hurried to the kitchen and caught him red-handed raiding their cat food.

    Mr and Mrs Henderson said the badger proved to be a most 'inconsiderate' house guest, leaving a powerful and unpleasant odour, forcing Mr Henderson, 55, to steam clean the kitchen. 

    The couple of named the badger 'Bertie'. 

    Mrs Henderson, 45, a recruitment consultant, said: 'He's certainly a character and is hilarious - he's not bothered by anybody.He's quite happy to just plod about the house - he comes in, has a poodle around and sniffs about a bit and goes once he's had cat food.

    'If he didn't smell so bad and come in at God knows what time in the night, I'd let him come in more often because he's ever so sweet and full of character.

    'He's quite brazen - he's certainly not scared.

    'It's been brilliant - because some people have commented saying that they've never even seen a badger, let alone have one in their kitchen.'

    Mrs Henderson said after speaking to several neighbours she realised the badger was raiding their homes as well. 

    Mrs Henderson was also able to film the badger on her mobile phone as he wandered around and ate some more cat food, put his paws on top of the cooker and then went out

    Mrs Henderson was also able to film the badger on her mobile phone as he wandered around and ate some more cat food, put his paws on top of the cooker and then went out

    She said she once was able to film the badger on her mobile phone. She said: 'I sat and videoed him for ten minutes with my phone and he wandered around, looked at me, ate some more cat food, put his paws on top of the cooker and then went out.

    'He's not vicious - he could have quite easily gone for me when I was in the kitchen kneeling on the floor by him taking the video.

    'He's been back a few times and he always comes at like four am and every time he's come in we have to steam clean the floors because he's filthy.

    'You hear him come clattering in and out through the cat flap because obviously it's a bit of a tight squeeze and him pushing the bowls around and his claws scraping on the flooring.

    'Lots of people have been really positive about the badger - I think the more we can do to give badgers a better name then the better.'

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