A Bolton veterinary practice opened what may be the town’s first “Crab Ward” after two shore crabs were found in a local garden, miles from the nearest coast.
The unusual case began when a member of the public discovered a crab on their driveway after it triggered a Ring doorbell camera. They brought the surprise visitor straight to Bolton Vets for Pets, where the colleagues were still trying to work out how a creature usually found much closer to rockpools had ended up in Bolton.
Then, around 45 minutes later, the same person returned with a second bucket.
Inside was another crab.
One of the pair even had cobwebs on its shell, adding to the mystery and suggesting it may have been tucked away somewhere before being found.
The team are used to helping injured wildlife, including pigeons, hedgehogs and other wild animals, but two crabs were a first for everyone. After the surprise had subsided, the pair were named Sandra and Malcolm and given their own temporary recovery area, complete with a handmade “Crab Ward” sign.
To put the mystery into local perspective, the road journey from Lytham St Annes to Bolton is more than 30 miles. If the crabs had tried to scuttle in from the coast, an imagined route could have taken them past Freckleton, Warton and Preston, then towards the M55 and M61 corridor around Chorley and Horwich. By the practice team’s very tongue in cheek reckoning, that would be a fortnight long crab commute.
As shore crabs can be territorial the Bolton Vets for Pets team housed Sandra and Malcolm separately to prevent any fighting. They monitored them closely and provided small amounts of saline solution while seeking expert guidance.
Advice was obtained from Manchester Sea Life Centre, Blackpool Sea Life Centre and other specialists before the crabs were released later the same day.
Karla Maginn, Registered Veterinary Nurse and Practice Owner of Bolton Vets for Pets, said: “When the first crab came in, there was definitely a moment of, ‘are we really looking at a crab in Bolton?’ Then the second one arrived and it became even more surreal.
“There was lots of laughter, but the team responded brilliantly. Shore crabs have very specific needs, so we kept Sandra and Malcolm separate, monitored them closely and contacted specialists before making any decisions.
“We were delighted to help them return safely to the coast later that day. If anyone finds wildlife somewhere unexpected, especially if it appears injured, unwell or out of place, the best thing to do is ask for advice before intervening.”
Following the expert advice, one of the practice’s Registered Veterinary Nurses released Sandra and Malcolm at New Ferry Shore the same day.
The team say the story will be hard to forget, especially after a day of crab puns, a homemade ward sign and two very unlikely visitors who briefly made Bolton feel a little closer to the seaside.