HELP FOR HEDGEHOGS: These two were captured on camera by Mercury reader Yvonne Kesterton looking for food in her garden
HELP FOR HEDGEHOGS: These two were captured on camera by Mercury reader Yvonne Kesterton looking for food in her garden

HEDGEHOG heroes are wanted across the dale.
The British Hedgehog Preservation Society (BHPS) is looking for volunteers to join the growing band of hedgehog champions.
The drive comes on the back of a successful hedgehog awareness week which raised more than £3,000 for the society’s work.
BHPS chief executive Fay Vass said: “Our gardens take up such a lot of habitat, and by getting together with neighbours to ensure hedgehogs have access points and hedgehog friendly features in the garden, we can open up a really useful amount of habitat for them.
“You could become a hedgehog champion for your area.
“Join 70,000 champions by signing up at www.hedge hogstreet.org – there’s even a Hedgehog Street app you can download from the App Store or Google Play.”
The society aims to highlight the problems hedgehogs face and how supporters can help them.
This year the charity is asking people to talk to their neighbours and make the whole street hedgehog friendly.
The society says there are various things people can do to help hedgehogs, including:
Creating a log pile that will offer shelter and food
Building a hedgehog Home ­– see plans at www. britishhedgehogs.org.uk/ hedgehog homes
Moving piles of rubbish to a new site before burning
Checking areas carefully before mowing or strimming
Ensuring netting is kept at a safe height
Checking compost heaps before digging the fork in
Stopping or reducing the amount of pesticides and poisons used
Covering drains or deep holes
Ensuring there is an easy route out of ponds and pools