WATER giant Severn Trent will use hedgehogs in its latest weapon against its slug invasion.

Following in the footsteps of organic strawberry growers, the utility is to encourage the prickly creatures on to its sites in a bid to keep the pests at bay.

Damp and humid conditions have seen the number of slugs and snails invading Severn Trent properties rocket.

"We've called in the crunching crew to control the march of the molluscs," said Colin Green, the company's environmental adviser.

"Ever conscious of the environmental impact of using chemical pest control, we are urging people to do the same and entice nature's own pest controllers - hedgehogs - into their gardens to keep the slimy pests out.

"Hedgehogs will munch their way through dozens of slugs and snails and are incredibly effective as a pest controller."

Mr Green said Severn Trent had built artificial hedgehog homes in the hope of attracting more.

"We've built some hedgehog hotels which will offer a bed as well as a hearty breakfast for the local hedgehog population," he added. "This is a biological way of controlling slugs which anyone can adopt in their garden."