Wildlife workers are being urged to get immunised against rabies after fears that a man bitten by a bat has contracted the deadly disease.

Doctors say the critically ill man, in Dundee, is likely to die and, if rabies is confirmed, will become the first person for 100 years to have contracted the disease in Britain.

But Otley woman Ann Best, of the West Yorkshire Bat Group, says she is more worried about the harm the bad publicity will do to the endangered species than any risk to her own health.

Although shocked by the tragic case in Scotland, she would not be put off from working with bats who she said need all the positive support they can get.

Mrs Best, who has a licence from conservation organisation English Nature to handle bats roosting in people's houses, has not been vaccinated against rabies but says it's now something she will have to consider.

She said: "I'm more worried about the effect this news will have on people's attitudes to bats than the risk of me getting rabies.

"People are frightened of them because of the bad press they get, and because of horror films, but they are a fascinating mammal."

Mrs Best said she hasn't had any rabies shots so far because she did not think it necessary, since the disease did not exist in Britain.

"But it's something I'll have to re-think now. I won't be panicked into it," she said.

"I've handled many Daubenton's bats before - like the one that bit this man in Scotland - and I've also been bitten by bats many times but they've only ever nipped and have never broken the skin.

"I don't feel particularly at risk and it certainly won't stop me from working with them as I've done for the last ten years.

"People mustn't panic and get alarmed. If anyone does find an injured bat they should put on gloves, put it in a box with airholes and contact either the RSPCA or their local bat group for help."

A spokesman for English Nature said: "A couple of years ago there was a case down South of a Daubenton's bat that died from rabies and there have been a couple of other cases since. The Government has advised bat workers to go to their GPs and get free precautionary vaccines against the disease. The good news is that the vaccine is 94 to 100 per cent effective.

"We are re-iterating that advice - anyone who handles bats should go and get the free jabs. You don't have to be a licensed bat worker to qualify. But the general public who are just scared of getting bitten aren't entitled."

Michael Krause, of Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, said: "Cases of people being bitten by bats are very rare. It's important to remember that bats are protected. Any attempt to move them without a licence would be illegal, harmful to the bat and could be dangerous."

Daubenton's bats are fairly common in Britain and usually found close to water, flying low over rivers, lakes and ponds feeding on insects.