An 11-year-old girl was taken to hospital after being bitten by a bat as she ate her dinner.

Victoria Kimmet was left five puncture wounds after the pipistrelle stuck at her mother's house in Dundee.

Her father, Steve, said he has heard stories of people dying from rabies and so the family went to A&E at Ninewells in a panic.

He said: "She was at her mum's house sitting down for a meal when this thing flew through the window. Victoria threw her arms up to avoid it landing in her hair and somehow she got bitten.

"She didn't feel the actual bite but ended up with five puncture wounds in her finger. Originally they thought it was a bird but after it stopped flying about it hung itself upside down from the curtain rail and they realised it was a bat."

He added: "I got the phone call and we all dived up there. It's totally rare so we had to wait for medicine to be sent up from Edinburgh.

"She was given four injections in her arms and one in her leg. I think she was freaked out and she was not keen on the injections.

"She's been a bit traumatised by it all but the hospital staff were really nice. They didn't confirm she actually had rabies they are just taking the precautions.

"We had to take her back for more treatment on Sunday and she'll need a few more weeks of treatment."

Victoria will have to visit her GP for more treatment in a week's time, then again in a month, but the family are hopeful there will not be any side-effects.

Officers from the Scottish SPCA were called to catch the animal and remove it from the house on Thursday, June 30.

Animal rescue officer Sharon McKenzie said: "I was contacted to rescue a pipistrelle bat from a property in Dundee on Thursday evening.

"The bat was on the curtains in the living room and must have got in through the window. I was able to catch the bat and release it outside.

"Bats are not aggressive animals, although like any wild animal they may bite if they feel threatened."

Along with animals such as dogs, foxes, raccoons, and skunks, bats are one of the primary animals that transmit rabies.

A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said: "A&E departments in Tayside see a small number of patients attending with animal bites. "It is very rare that someone would present with a bat bite.

"All patients are individually clinically assessed and offered the appropriate treatment.

"When a risk of rabies has been identified we would follow the latest Health Protection Scotland guidance."