Hedgehog advice given

Consumers wishing to help hedgehogs in their gardens have been given advice by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

Fay Vass, chief executive of the organisation, tells the Perthshire Advertiser that if horticulturalists notice a prickly garden visitor staggering as though they are drunk or lying in the sun then they should be aware that they are very ill.

She notes that this is because both of these signs are symptoms of hypothermia in the creatures, which can be life-threatening.

"He should be picked up using gardening gloves and taken indoors in a high sided cardboard box. Also pop in a wrapped hot water bottle and an old towel. Offer pet food and water," Ms Vass continues.

In related news, online resource iVillage.co.uk explains that helpful garden fauna – such as hedgehogs, frogs, toads and hoverflies – have the potential to help combat garden pests such as slugs, snails and aphids.