[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]A dying baby hedgehog had a lucky reprieve after he was discovered in a plastic bag in a KFC box in the middle of an industrial estate.
The tiny animal would not have survived January’s freezing temperatures had it not been for Royston resident Gavin Maddock.
Mr Maddock came across the underweight hedgehog at 8am in a North London industrial estate and brought it to Shepreth Wildlife Park for treatment after numerous London rescue centres said they couldn’t help.
He said: “I discovered the poor thing in a carrier bag so I boxed him up and tried to find a rescue centre.
“Thankfully I finished early on this day so I was able to drop him off within two hours of finding him. The staff at Shepreth were very caring and professional.”
Tasha Ennew, manager of the park’s new hedgehog hospital, said if the creature had been left for much longer he wouldn’t have survived.
She said: “He weighed just 385g (14oz) which is way too small for hibernation this winter.
“It was so kind that Mr Maddock went out of his way to help the hedgehog, as many people would have ignored him.
“The autumn juvenile is putting on weight nicely and will be released in spring.”
The hedgehog hospital opened in November after a long fundraising campaign and it has about 70 of the animals on its books.
To help the charity hospital text SWCC with the amount you wish to donate to 70070.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] 
Mon Mar 11, 2013 9:59 am
