Baby hedgehogs rescued from green waste bin at Melton tip

Leicestershire County Council, which manages the household refuse site at Lake Terrace, has asked residents to check their garden waste for hedgehogs before depositing it at the tip.

The council say the young animals were discoverd in the nick of time: “Luckily, site operatives Bruce and Ryan heard squeaking coming from the bin and the four young hedgehogs were swiftly retrieved and taken to the onsite welfare unit where they were kept safe and warm.

“At less than two-weeks-old, the hoglets were taken to Melton Vets where they were checked over before being handed over to Pat at Helping Hands Hedgehog Rescue in Melton.

“Pat placed them in an incubator and hand fed them every two to four hours for the first few weeks.

“And now they’re thriving and will be ready to be released back in to the wild within the next few weeks.”

The council said warning stickers have been placed on all of their verge strimming equipment, asking operatives to check for hedgehogs before using them.

And in an appeal to residents, the authority said: “ Make sure you’re checking bags or piles of garden waste that have been building up over the last few months - the warm conditions are perfect for our spiky friends, so please keep your eyes peeled.”