Hedgehog invited as 'guest of honour' to wedding

Pico the hedgehog was the guest of honour at David and Michelle Doughty's wedding

A couple invited a hedgehog with his own top hat to be a 'guest of honour' at their wedding to help raise awareness of the species.

David and Michelle Doughty from Brandon, Suffolk, celebrated their big day several weeks ago and wanted to ensure it was a fun day.

Mr Doughty has a huge love for hedgehogs and fundraises often to support them which sparked his idea to include one in his ceremony.

With the help of Heather Johnson - who runs her own rescue in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire - the groom had his wish come true and even held one for the first time.

Pico was the first hedgehog Mr Doughty had ever held despite his love for the animals

"We wanted our wedding our way," Mr Doughty told BBC Radio Cambridgeshire.

"My nickname is happy Dave and we wanted our wedding to be fun and not too conformist.

"We wanted everyone to enjoy it and hedgehogs are a massive part of my life.

"We had to have a hedgehog there if we could to also raise awareness to our guests, our friends, our family to show how important it is to try and help these little creatures."

Mr Doughty has helped fundraise to support hedgehog rescues and has even written his own book to raise awareness.

He confirmed there were no prickly situations with guest of honour Pico, despite him potentially stealing the show.

"I was more than happy to step aside and let Pico take the limelight for a while," Mr Doughty joked.

"He was the best man you could say - if my son doesn't mind me saying so.

"We were so grateful that Heather came along with Pico because that is my purpose in life now - I've chosen hedgehogs as the thing I want to help."

Heather Johnson set up her rescue 10 years ago in Chatteris

Ms Johnson runs Heather's Hedgehog Hostel from her home.

She brought Pico, who she keep as a pet, along to the wedding after the request from Mr Doughty.

"I got this little message and [David] said, 'I'm getting married, I don't suppose Pico would come?'.

"I've done some strange things in my time and this has got to be one for the books. I said yes, OK.

"We found [Pico] a little outfit. I did manage to find him a top hat that was just the right size."

Ms Johnson said Pico was very well behaved and had photos with the bride and groom as well as the guests before he had a run outside.

She described it as a "surreal afternoon".

"I know David and he's hedgehog mad," she continued.

"For all he's done to support hedgehogs, he'd never actually held one which is the same for a lot of people.

"When Pico and I turn up - because he's a pet - you can let people stroke Pico because he's quite friendly and used to it.

"I let David hold Pico and he was absolutely over the moon with him."