UNDER the cover of darkness and waddling into view - a hedgehog is caught on camera in a garden in St John's tucking into some peanut butter.

Animal lover Margaret Layland was delighted to find her back garden in St John's was attracting hedgehogs after she set up a camera to see which animals visited throughout the night.

Michael Westcott has also shared this picture of a hedgehog his children spotted making a nest in the front garden of their home in Lichfield Avenue, Ronkswood, Worcester.

The sightings come as Worcestershire Wildlife Trust warns the country has lost 30 per cent of its hedgehogs in a decade and asked people to report sighting at worcswildlifetrust.co.uk/hedgehogs.

Mrs Layland said: "They are very cute.

"I hadn't seen a hedgehog for years and years so I was over the moon when one waddled into the garden.

"We've been putting food out to encourage them - we put cat food out but got lots of cats on the scrounge so when I spoke to Malvern Hedgehog Rescue they suggested peanut butter.

"They absolutely loved it - you can see how quickly they go for it.

"I think we have two hedgehogs visiting us because one seems to waddle and the other has a limp.

"They are little sweethearts.

"We try to keep our garden wildlife friendly so it is great to see what visitors we have."

Mr Westcott believes the hedgehog visiting his house may have been building a nest and managed to take a picture of it.

His family spent almost an hour watching the creature collecting twigs after it was spotted by his children Alisha, aged five, and Ryan, three.

"It was about 9.30 in the morning when the children spotted the hedgehog from a bedroom window.

"You don't see them very often.

"It was running up and down the garden collecting twigs so I assume it was making a nest - maybe it was due to have some babies?"

Wendy Carter, the trust’s communications manager, said there was a time most people heard hedgehogs snuffling in their gardens at night.

"Nowadays most people will tell you that they haven’t seen or heard a hedgehog for years.

“It’s thought that, as a nation, we’ve lost more than 30 million hedgehogs since the 1950s - that’s an astonishing loss and reflects our changing society.

“But there are things we can all do to help hedgehogs and, in turn, help other wildlife that shares our urban and rural landscapes.”

The trust has launched a simple form which also offers the opportunity to submit negative records if a hedgehog hasn’t been seen for several years.

Wendy Carter added: “We’ve tidied up our gardens, developed our land and we now zip around in fast cars along wide roads - this has all been bad news for our hedgehogs.

“But if we all did just one thing to help, it would make the world of difference for these spiny creatures. "Hedgehogs love nothing more than munching on snails and slugs so should be welcomed by most gardeners – and it only takes a bit of thought to make a garden really good for them.

“Growing plants that attract insects, the main food of hedgehogs, is a good start but leaving patches of garden a little wild or installing a hedgehog home in a quiet corner would be even better.

“Chatting to neighbours is essential – one suitable garden is a start but we need hedgehog highways if we’re to see numbers bounce back. So how about agreeing with a neighbour to leave a hole or two in or under the fencing between gardens?

“It won’t be long before hedgehogs start to hibernate through the winter so if you’re doing any work in the garden – whether it be lighting a bonfire or strimming – don’t forget to check for sleeping or hibernating hedgehogs first.”

Bread and milk should never be left out for hedgehogs – dog or cat meat and water are best if readers want to attract hedgehogs to their gardens.

Hedgehogs that are out in the day are likely to be ill and in need of help, as are small hedgehogs that are seen at night-time as autumn wears on.