Truro's famous hedgehog visits Chelsea Flower show

Denzil the hedgehog left Cornwall on 13 May to travel to London

A famous wooden hedgehogs has left its roundabout home in the centre of Truro to head to the Chelsea Flower Show.

Denzil the hedgehog left Cornwall on 13 May to travel to London where the artwork was hoped to win even more fans at the world-famous flower show.

Denzil and the three hedgehogs, Kizzy, Patricia and Cecil, first moved onto the Trafalgar Roundabout in 2019 as part of a project to raise awareness of the plight of hedgehogs and make the city more wildlife friendly.

The hedgehog will be appearing as part of the celebration of 60 years of Britain in Bloom display.

On its return from Chelsea, Denzil will travel to Wadebridge where the hedgehog will form part of Truro City Council's display at the Royal Cornwall Show.

The artwork will then go back to Mellingey Mill to enable Emma Scott, the sculptor, to add an extra coat of protection to his prickles before joining his family again on the roundabout.

There were also plans to repair the other wooden hedgehogs.

Richard Budge, parks manager for the council said: “We need to assess how much repairing Denzil has cost and then look at how the restoration of the remaining hedgehogs can be funded, possibly by setting up a GoFundMe page.

“We know that the hedgehogs have captured the public’s imagination and that many people want to see them restored so hopefully they will come forward with ideas and offers of support”.