Family of hedgehogs saved as building work begins at housing site

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A building site isn’t the cosiest of places to set up home, but this family of hedgehogs managed to make it their own.

Staff working on the new Miller Homes development at Greenvale Park off Stamfordham Road, West Denton, in Newcastle, got a prickly shock when they discovered a mother hedgehog and her five hoglets nesting close to one of the cabins on the site.

But the conscientious builders went out of their way to ensure the family didn’t come to any harm and sought advice from the RSPCA.

They were told to contact the Northumbrian Hedgehog Rescue Trust which guided staff through the secure removal of the nest.

Ken Light, quality assurance inspector for Miller Homes North East, then delivered the nest and the hedgehogs safely to the rescue centre in Northumberland.

Carole Catchpole, founder of the Northumbrian Hedgehog Rescue Trust, said: “We were so impressed with how Miller Homes handled the situation.

“The safety of the young family was the main priority for the Greenvale Park team and they were keen to make sure they were taking all the right precautions to ensure the hedgehogs were safely transported to us with as little disturbance as possible.

“I think Millie, who we’ve named after Miller Homes, and her five hoglets may be the first intake we’ve ever received from a building site.”

The Trust is a registered charity that cares for over 300 hedgehogs every year. It treats and nurtures the animals until they can be released back into their natural environment. Millie and her hoglets, who were around eight weeks old when they were taken to the rescue centre, progressed very well during their time at the centre and have since been released.

Karl Morton, Miller Homes North East’s associate sales director, said: “The team at Greenvale Park was certainly surprised to find the hedgehogs, especially in such a busy area of the development.”

The trust is based in Longframlington and is run on the support of volunteers. Visit [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]