HOGLETS that had been on the loose near Dines Green Primary School are thought to have died.

Their mother was admitted to a hedgehog rescue last week after being spotted with a limp and heard coughing at the Tudor Way primary school in Worcester.

Viv Smith, who has run the hedgehog rescue for 10 years, said: “Sadly, without their mother, they would have died.

“They could have survived 48 hours but it all depends if they were predator-attacked - so you just don’t know.

“The adverse weather - with this drought means they cannot dig for food themselves. They also dehydrate quite quickly.

“Normally this time of year is quiet and it gets busy in late summer and autumn with all the juveniles.

“I want to thank all the well-wishers and people who went out to look for the hoglets.

“(The mother) is doing really well. She is responding really well.

“She can’t go back into the wild at the moment because of the drought and the lack of natural food.”

Malvern Hedgehog Rescue in Matthias Close, Malvern Link, is currently caring for more than 80 hedgehogs and is exceptionally busy as they cannot release any well hedgehogs during the dry spell.

She added: “Normally they will be put into gardens where there’s food and. if they choose to toddle off they can, but if they do they won’t find any elsewhere as not enough people put out food for them.”

Hoglets can be thumb-length size with white spines if they are under five days.

Those under two weeks have brown spines and their eyes closed or they can be miniatures of adult hedgehogs.

Most baby hedgehogs are born in May and September, with an average litter size of four or five youngsters.

Ms Smith is urging people to donate two hours of their time to support the centre by helping to clean out the hedgehog pens. 

Anyone who believes a hedgehog is in trouble or who would like to volunteer can call 07780834411 or visit Facebook Malvernhedgehogrescueworcestershire.

For more information visit malvernhedgehogrescue.co.uk or to support the centre, go to justgiving.com/crowdfunding/vivsmith.