These badger cubs were found cowering under a storage container by builders after they were abandoned by their mother.

The triplets - called Copper, Penny and Bob by their rescuers - had not yet opened their eyes and were just two weeks old when they were found crying in a Ditchling field.

It is believed their mother had chosen the unusual home for her nest because of competition for dwindling habitats, but fled when she was disturbed.

The cubs, who are named after slang words for coins, weighed less than 1kg between them when they were found.

Now, at six weeks old, they get through almost three litres of special powdered milk every 24 hours at the Wildlife Centre Project in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and weigh about 1.5kgs each.

Annette Risley, who runs the charity with her husband Dave, fears the numbers of orphaned badger cubs will increase as hungry mothers take greater risks to venture out for food. The triplets are among seven cubs found by the centre so far this spring She said: “We will look after them at arm's length so they don't get too used to humans and release them back into the wild in autumn.”