Leicester: Tortured hedgehog Spud set to make full recovery

Spud's appetite has not been harmed, rescuers say

A hedgehog who was seen being tortured outside a fish and chip shop is now "doing well", rescuers say.

The animal, since named Spud, was tortured by a group of children outside a takeaway in Leicester at about 17:00 BST on Wednesday, before a woman intervened.

His injuries included an injured nose, broken spines and burns.

But Digby's Hedgehog Rescue says Spud is on the mend, eating well, bathing and likely to recover from his ordeal.

After Spud's story was shared last week, donations to the Leicestershire organisation's appeal to buy an incubator for rescued hoglets has tripled its target.

Rescuers have had Spud in the tub

Digby's founder Shannen Hawker said: "An absolutely massive thank you to everyone that has given donations for poor Spud.

"It's really nice to see he's doing well, but we are just completely overwhelmed by the amount of donations we have had, it's been insane.

"We were fundraising for one incubator, now we've actually got enough to buy three, which is absolutely mind-blowing."

Spud is set to continue recuperating with Lisa Sharma, leader at Digby's, before moving in with one of the organisation's 15 or so volunteers.

Normally hedgehogs are released back to the area they were found, but as Spud lost a leg in a previous incident, he will be released to a "supported garden".

There, he will live wild but volunteers can continue to monitor him.

Digby's is a not-for-profit organisation, which has been helping Leicestershire's hedgehogs for eight years.

Last year they released 200 healed hedgehogs back into the wild.