How recycled towels are a helping wildlife charity

Have you ever wondered what happens to hundreds of towels after a festival?

Often people take them along to use while they are camping but then leave them behind afterwards.

Now, instead of going to waste, they have a new life in helping these animals in need.

Staff at the Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue (OWR) received the towels from volunteers after the clean-up after Reading Festival.

The discarded towels are being used to keep hedgehogs and other wild animals which have been rescued warm and calm.

Founder of the Oxfordshire Wildlife Charity, Luke Waclawek, said the team are ''incredibly grateful'' for the donation.

Elisa Miles, who has been volunteering at Warren and District Residents' Association for the past 13 years said she had seen OWR requesting towels on social media.

"To be able to give something to people and do something out of the mess that was left is nice. So it doesn't just all go to landfill and the stuff that is reusable is used." Ms Miles said.

The team at OWR rescue between 3,000 and 4,000 animals every year including garden birds, hedgehogs and deer.

Imagine how many towels are needed to care for all of those animals.

Mr Waclawek said: ''About four weeks ago, there was a count of 150 [hedgehogs] in the centre. That's 150 towels a day.

"Sometimes covering an animal with a towel also calms it down and they make a fantastic cheap bed for them."