Surrey’s hedgehogs are under threat but county councillor Robert Evans is on the case.

Having raised the matter in the Surrey County Council chamber recently, Mr Evans was joined in his campaign by Queen guitarist Brian May at the Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue in Windlesham - and a giant hedgehog!

“Hedgehogs used to be a common sight when I was growing up in Ashford,” said Mr Evans, the Labour county councillor for Stanwell and Stanwell Moor, “but now they’re rarely seen.

“Nationally the number of these popular prickly creatures has fallen from about 30 million 50 years ago, to perhaps just a million today and we need to help them survive.

“Their real existence is now under threat from development and loss of habitat.”

Mr Evans has urged people to be on the look-out for hedgehogs and to make gardens and other spaces more hedgehog friendly, avoiding the use of strimmers where possible.

Hedgehogs will also helpfully hoover up any unwanted slugs and snails, so no-one needs to use poisonous slug pellets.

If you find a hedgehog in the garden, unless it looks in distress, leave it alone. You can help it out by putting down a little cat food and leaving a pile of leaves or logs for it to hibernate under.