FROM trapped swans and foxes to injured bats and dogs with rabies.

Hampshire and the Isle of Wight’s animal rescuers will today be recognised for their work helping all creatures great and small.

Russell Brown from Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service, New Forest vet Luke Gamble and bat rescuers Donna and Graham Street from the Isle of Wight will each receive a special award at the House of Lords from the International Fund for Animal Welfare.

Russell, better known as Buster, will be recognised with the Animal Action Award for his work as an animal rescue specialist.

The 58-year-old from Havant is one of four rescuers who cover the whole of Hampshire and beyond.

One rescue he was involved in saw him save a swan that had landed on the balcony of a house and didn’t have enough space to fly off. Another incident saw him save a fox that was stuck between a wall and a garage.

Luke Gamble will receive an award for his work treating animals at veterinary practices in the UK and around the world.

The 38-year-old from the New Forest founded the charities Worldwide Veterinary Services (WVS) and Mission Rabies.

He has raised more than £3m to help vaccinate thousands of Indian street dogs and provided free veterinary drugs, equipment and advice to support animal shelters in Greece, horse welfare projects in Gambia and exotic conservation projects in Grenada and India.

Donna, 57, and Graham, 61, from Sandown, will get an award for caring for sick and injured bats on the Isle of Wight since 1997.

The couple have rescued more than 1,600 bats and care for them at the Isle of Wight Bat Hospital.

The awards will be presented by TV wildlife presenter Bill Oddie at an event at the House of Lords hosted by Baroness Gale.