Two hedgehogs founds themselves in a prickly situation after falling down uncovered drains in County Durham, before being rescued by the RSPCA.
The second was dehydrated and covered in ticks. It spent two days being cared for by staff at Stanhope Park Veterinary Hospital in Darlington before it was returned to the wild, near to where it was found
According to the charity the first hedgehog, rescued by RSPCA inspector Krissy Raine, was lodged around two feet down in the drain
In both cases, an adult female hedgehog had fallen and become wedged face-down in an uncovered drain
‘She was one of the biggest hedgehogs I have seen for a while and unfortunately her size meant she was stuck fast in the hole with next to no room for manoeuvre’, she said.
‘She received excellent care at Stanhope Vets and I’d like to thank the team there for everything they did to get her back on the road to recovery.
Drains, pits and other open holes can also frequently trap unsuspecting creatures like amphibians and ducklings
The charity is hopeful that the incidents will remind people to check that drains in their gardens and streets are blocked off or properly secured with covers