A new hedgehog rescue is looking to grow in the north of the county after receiving support from the local community.

Hokey Pokey Hedgehog Rescue in Welshpool is looking to grow after unexpectedly starting up over a month earlier than was expected.

Founder Heather Chave previously worked as carer but had to give up because of ill health and the new venture gives her "a chance to do some good."

“It’s just me doing the hedgehogs and my daughter helps with the fundraising,” said Heather.

“I was due to open in July but I got rung up on May 31 by a vet and just got started from there.

“I went to Vale for one day to do intense training, I then did follow up training at the Cuan Wildlife Centre, and have vets on board. ”

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Hokey Pokey has been set up to rescue ill hedgehogs rehabilitate them and then release them back into the wild in hedgehog safe environment and Heather is trying to get the public to get the public to notice the danger signs.

“People see them in the morning and think ‘oh theyre nice’ and then at night they’re still there, but by that point it is already too late,” said Heather.

“If they are out at lunchtime it’s a really bad sign. They’re octurnal so they come in around dawn and are out about 7pm depending on the time of year.”

"Hedgehogs out in day is not OK - never leave one out till later as I will probably be too late.

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She advises that “get it in a high sided box keep it warm give small shallow dish of water and ring a rescue. If it is small or not moving much it could be in trouble so just leave it some water because if they’re dehydrated and you give them food they could get worse – do not give them milk.”

Hokey Pokey has already rescued 19 hedgehogs finding them through “word of mouth and our Facebook page” and is covering the area north of Welshpool up to Oswestry.

“There’s already a good hedgehog rescue in Newtown so I’m doing the Lake Vyrnwy to Oswestry area,” added Heather.

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Fundraising includes a monthly Thunderball to raise money for food and equipment and they are looking for gardens that the hedgehog can be safely released into, which don’t have obstructive fencing or netting which hedgehogs will get caught in.

However, they have already had great support form two local children with one young boy called Charlie rescuing a hedgehog that was in distress on the road as well as some very impressive young fundraisers.

“Such a lot of good people have donated,” said Heather “One little lad who raised money for to buy a hutch for us hutch was Lonnie Evison, who is seven years old. He did a raffle alongside his mum’s business the Peg Basket.

“It would have been very hard to do this so far without the generosity of people. If anyone wants to help, they can find me and the rescue with pics and updates on my Hokey Pokey rescue and fundraising page on Facebook.”