Nottinghamshire hedgehog burned with acid released back into wild

Rescuers noticed an unusual smell when the mammal was first brought in

A hedgehog, which was believed to have been covered in an acid-like chemical, has been released back into the wild.

The mammal, thought to be about two years old, was taken to an animal rescue centre after it was found injured in Nottingham in September.

Its broken and bleached spines were treated and it has now been placed in a "hedgehog-friendly" garden.

Bethan Hewis, of Brinsley Animal Rescue, is "almost certain" it was done deliberately.

She said volunteers noticed an unusual smell after the female hedgehog was brought in.

"I'd used acid to clean grout off tiles recently and I said I know that it's acid, and that's why it is struggling to breathe, because of the acid getting into the hedgehog's lungs," she said.

The hedgehog's spines had been bleached and broken by the substance

Jon Beresford, who runs the centre with Ms Hewis, said: "We know it's chemical-related because it's stripped all the pigment out of the spines.

"There's nothing natural that would do that - it's man-made."

"I'm almost certain it was intentional because of the way that the acid had fallen on to the hedgehog," Ms Hewis said.

"It looked like it had been poured on in a semi-circle and all over its nose," she said.

The hedgehog was given several courses of antibiotics to clear up an infection in its lungs and other drugs to help it breathe.

Usually rescued hedgehogs are released where they were found but this time an exception was made and on Monday it joined a male in a hedgehog-friendly garden.

Ms Hewis said: "There were times when we thought she might not make it so we're just pleased to see footage of her back out in the wild."