A WILDLIFE charity in Yate held a successful open day over the weekend in order to educate the public about hedgehogs.

Hedgehog Rescue is a voluntary organisation run from a shed in the back garden of its founder, Yvonne Cox, who cares for the garden animals when they are found sick, orphaned or injured.

At an open day on Saturday (May 12), Yvonne welcomed visitors into the centre, where they were introduced to a few of its prickly inhabitants and heard about the difficulties facing hedgehogs in the UK.

CBBC wildlife and children's TV presenter Ferne Corrigan popped along, and made clay hedgehogs with some of the children.

The event raised £365.73 for the organisation through a tombola, teddy bear, plant and tattoo stalls, cakes and drinks, and name the hedgehog and pin the nose on the hedgehog competitions.

Yvonne said: “The open day went really well and we had around 100 people come and visit us.

“It’s really important to raise awareness about hedgehogs because their population has declined by around 90 per cent in the past 50 years."

Yvonne shared tips on helping hedgehogs to thrive, which included avoiding slug pellets, and checking long grass before strimming in the garden.

"Dogs are a particular problem too," she said.

Yvonne recommends that dog owners keep dogs on leads during walks, or keep an eye on their pets when loose in woods and parkland. She also advocates training, as dogs can be schooled in hedgehog friendly behaviour.

Making a CD sized hole in garden fences is helpful, she said, as it creates an off-road wildlife corridor for the hogs.

Sports nets and camouflage netting are also causing difficulties

"Hedgehogs can get trapped in these, so clear them away once you're done using them," she said.

To report a sighting of a sick or injured hedgehog, or to make a donation to the organisation, call Yvonne on 07971 663009 or email hedgehogrescue@live.com