A tiny rural Northumberland sanctuary is leading the fight to save the dwindling number of hedgehogs in the UK.
Carole Catchpole, 79, is preparing a small army of 130 hedgehogs for a return to the wild in the coming weeks.
Another 40 are in 'foster homes' where she knows they are kept safe and well.
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From her converted garage in Longframlington, Northumberland, dedicated volunteer Carole helps injured hedgehogs in a tiny hydrotherapy pool.
She cares for those caught by garden strimmers, one of the most common injuries for urban hedgehogs.
The population in the UK has fallen from around 30m in the 1950s to less than 900,000, according to experts.
It is a disturbing trend highlighted by wildlife campaigner Chris Packham amongst others. Carole, who started the Northumbrian Hedgehog Rescue Trust in 1998, has at least six volunteers who cover 365 days of the year.
"We have released a few but it is getting wet again so it depends on the weather," she said. "We make sure they have nice clean beds here and fresh food and water.
"They come out to exercise in the morning. It is very quiet the rest of the time so they can get some sleep, they are nocturnal.
"Loss of habitat is the key issue for them; people concrete over gardens and so the hedgehogs lose their homes. And badgers are their main predators.
"They have a brilliant sense of smell, and brilliant hearing, but their eyesight is not so good.
"We are always looking for new sites to release them safely; you can never have enough."
She urged keen gardeners to avoid netting for plants, or, if possible, raise it 1ft off the ground so hedgehogs can move under. A home for a hedgehog can be as simple as a pile of leaves in the back garden.
You can also leave small bowls of water out for them overnight. "It is a real privilege to care for them," added Carole, who set up the charity with her late husband James.
Hedgehogs will eat a variety of foods – meat flavoured cat or dog food in jelly, cat biscuits or crushed peanuts. They are lactose intolerant, so never give them milk.
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