'My work as a hedgehog rescuer was meant to be'

Joan Lockley had to close her "hosprickal" for three months after breaking her wrist

A woman who has dedicated 21 years to saving hedgehogs said her work would continue next year despite an accident forcing her to stop.

Joan Lockley, 79, has rehabilitated thousands of hedgehogs in her home and garden in Cheslyn Hay, Staffordshire.

But in September, she slipped while out, breaking her wrist and some teeth on a pavement.

Ms Lockley had to stop work and said friends and two other rescue centres rallied to help.

She is determined to reopen West Midlands Hedgehog Rescue after Christmas.

"The specialist said give it three months. Hedgehogs are only little but you can't lift them up in one hand because of the prickles. It's the first time in 21 years I've not been able to help," she said.

She has worked with Cuan Wildlife Rescue, Shropshire, for about five years and workers there immediately stepped in to help.

"They have been absolutely wonderful. Straight away they took in the hedgehogs I was taking care of," Ms Lockley said.

About 30 hedgehogs were put into boxes and taken to the Much Wenlock centre about 30 miles away. The British Wildlife Rescue Centre, Stafford, has also helped.

Tiny hoglets have to be regularly fed by syringe

The number of hedgehogs she takes in has snowballed over the past five years from about 500 to 850 a year. She believes it is largely due to loss of habitat which has also seen numbers steeply decline.

The demanding work can involve 19-hour days of answering calls, cleaning cages and feeding some hoglets by syringe every two hours.

Amid the commitment and rising costs, the area had lost carers and centres who helped injured and ill hedgehogs return to the wild, she said.

"We have fewer and fewer places, but it is not something you can do as hobby. It's a 24/7 job and people don't want that. We are at crisis point with hedgehogs."

Mrs Lockley adores all animals, but developed a particular fondness for hedgehogs after saving one she found in her garden.

"It was meant to be, it was fate," she said.

"They are so cute and harmless and a gardener's friend. I desperately want to save them from becoming extinct, but everything is against them, poor things."

Her dedication was recognised with an Animal Action Award from charity IFAW in 2015 and her work has featured on television programmes fronted by Queen's Brian May and comedian Julian Clary.

Ms Lockley appeared on Julian Clary's Nature Nuts programme on ITV

Meanwhile, Cuan Wildlife, where staff are wrapping up to save on energy bills, is also taking in lots of hedgehogs at its specialist hospital facilities.

Manager Fran Hill said its operation included 12 part-time staff and more than 30 volunteers.

She praised Ms Lockley's dedication and said they were always happy to support her work.

"I know that Joan wants to carry on for ever but as we know they are very hard work and we are glad to try and take the strain off and can help for as long as she needs," she said.

Staff at Cuan Wildlife Rescue have been wearing hats and scarves to save on their energy bill as prices soar