Instead of locating underground services such as water mains and gas pipes, SUMO has been using its high-tech equipment to find the location of a badger set. The badgers had burrowed under a road in Derbyshire, leaving it close to collapse. Although the badgers had been seen in the area, nobody was certain of the exact location of their set. Derbyshire County Council needed to find out the location, without disturbing the badgers.

SUMO franchisee Paul Henshall, based in Matlock, was asked to survey the road area and locate the badger set using the high-tech Pipehawk Ground Penetrating Radar system, the only radar system approved by the Badger Protection Society.

'I was surprised when I was offered this job,' says Paul. 'However, it is great to see the Council is going to such lengths to look after the wildlife. At first I wasn't sure whether we would be able to pick up the set. But once we set up the equipment and established the results I was sure we had found it.' Now Derbyshire County Council have the location of the badger set, they can start to devise a solution to the problem.

SUMO has worked for over 1,000 customers throughout the construction industry including all the major construction companies, utility suppliers, local authorities, highway agencies and house builders.

Published: 29 August 2006

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