A TURKEY was saved from slaughter when a trailer overturned on the M5 last week, and is now living out his days at a Bromsgrove animal sanctuary.

The trailer, carrying 640 turkeys, crashed onto its side after becoming detached from a tractor near the A38 Wychbold on Thursday morning.

Emergency service crews rushed to the scene to round up the birds, while paramedics confirmed there had been ‘no injuries to humans’.

One turkey, which had evaded capture, was picked up by animal welfare campaigners, who rallied at the scene after hearing about the crash on social media.

Robbie Blade, a vegan from Droitwich, said: “I came up to help and see if we could get any of the turkeys rescued.

“While the professionals were loading the birds into another vehicle one of the turkeys strayed our way.

“One of the ladies with us was just protecting it from all the banging and crashing going on and keeping it warm, and we started to think – maybe we could save it.

“Eventually the police officer said the farmer was happy to relinquish him to us, so I led the convoy to Hillfields Animal Sanctuary.”

The rescued bird, now named Asha, meaning ‘hope’, will now spend his life in Blackwell, surrounded by five other turkeys.

Lyn Tudor, who has owned the Greenhill sanctuary for 37 years, said: “He’s a lucky lad. I don’t know how he’s managed to survive all this – it really is a miracle.

“He’s only a few months old but he is quite a big lad. Christmas turkeys are fed fatteners to plump them up so he’s been put on a healthy diet with lots of corn.

“He has been traumatised from the trauma - underneath his wings are damaged and cut and he’s not eating properly. But we’ve got other turkeys here too, so hopefully he’ll start to follow them.

“He’s just started going up on the perch and he’s been walking around with the others.

“We’ll take care of him and he’ll see his life out here at the sanctuary.”

Donations can be transferred to Hillfields Animal Sanctuary can do so via Paypal to hillfieldsanimalsanctuary@hotmail.co.uk.