A rabbit who was abandoned in a blizzard is now loving life aboard a narrowboat on the Macclesfield Canal.

Eris was rescued by the RSPCA in March 2018 after she was found in a cardboard box with 24 other rabbits, 20 of them newborns, in freezing conditions in an alleyway in Sheffield.

The ten-year-old bunny was nursed back to health by the charity in Manchester and now lives on a 30-foot cruiser stern Springer called Sunflower with her owner Naomi Cooper.

Chef Naomi and her business, the Floating Farmshop, will feature in the third series of Channel 4's Narrow Escapes.

Susie Hughes, Manchester and Salford RSPCA branch manager, said: "We were thrilled to hear that Eris's adventures with Naomi are being featured on television.

"We tried multiple times to bond Eris with a male companion but it didn't work out. It became clear she really thrived on human company which is why we decided it would be better to rehome her as a house rabbit.

"I think she's probably one of the first bunnies we've had in our care who has gone on to live on a narrowboat, but clearly the lifestyle suits her as ten years old is an excellent age for a rabbit.

"After the sadness Eris endured, it's wonderful to see her living a long, full and happy life."

advertisement

ALSO READ: Floating farm shop to star in upcoming episode of Narrow Escapes

Nine of the babies abandoned with Eris sadly died as a result of being abandoned.

Meanwhile, 10 of her offspring were cared for at the RSPCA's Manchester & Salford Branch and were successfully rehomed, as were the other surviving rabbits.

Naomi, 32, adopted Eris after leaving university.

In 2023 she purchased Sunflower, where the pair have now lived full-time for just over two years.

The episodes of Narrow Escapes featuring Naomi and Eris will be broadcast on Channel Four on Thursday, June 18 and Friday, June 19, at 4pm.

Naomi said: "At the time my mental health was quite bad and Eris needed human company. I guess you could say we sort of saved each other. She adjusted really well to life on the boat and isn't the least bit bothered about the rattly engine.

"She loves cruising, and as a solo boater she is fantastic company. She doesn't go outside but she loves the soft furnishings and has a cosy burrow under my armchair. She also really enjoys chilling out under my bed, especially in the summer.

advertisement

"Sunflower is moored in Adlington and we take the boat out at the weekend to trade and then go back to the marina. Eris has become very well-known there, everyone asks about her - she's become a bit of a celebrity really. I think she also stole the hearts of the film crew as they weren't expecting to see a rabbit on board!"

Talking about her decision to launch the Floating Farmshop, Naomi added: "I always knew I wanted to take up boat life but I really started to think about it more seriously during the pandemic. Behind the scenes I was already making jams and chutneys as an events coordinator at an urban farm in Stockport.

"From selling them at land-based markets I realised how much people love a homemade preserve and the thought of selling sustainable, locally sourced, foraged produce from the side of a boat was an idea that really appealed to me.

"In 2023 I just decided that I was going to do it. I purchased Sunflower and in May last year I launched the business.

"I was a bit worried about how making jams and chutneys would work aboard the boat but I've adapted to producing smaller batches multiple times and working in a tiny kitchen is great –everything I need is within arm's reach."

-