Two tiny hedgehogs helped by care centre

Two tiny hedgehogs are being given a helping hand to survive the winter after they were brought in to the Wormit Hedgehog Care Centre.

The pair arrived from separate locations and are less than half the weight they should be to hibernate in the wild.

Centre spokeswoman Sandy Boyd said: “By this time of the year they should be at least 650 grams for a chance to get through the winter and both together only weigh 448 grams.

“The larger is a male and he weighs 292g and the small female is 156g.

“At the moment I have 15 in care but that will change before the end of the year.”

Another Fife hedgehog sanctuary has been given an unexpected boost by former first minister Alex Salmond after a chance discovery.

Mr Salmond sent a cheque for £100 to Forth Hedgehog Hospital in Rosyth after a supporter of the charity reunited him with a dog tag lost by his beloved pet 60 years ago.

It’s thought the Salmonds’ cairn terrier Shadow lost his tag near Broxmouth House at Dunbar while he was visiting the politician’s late mother Mary, who led Girl Guides camping trips in the area.

Linda McHale, 60, whose husband Peter found it with his metal detector, said: “It really is a heartwarming story because Alex Salmond would only have been about 15 when it was lost and that little dog was a big part of his life, and his family’s life.

“He sent me a card to thank me for thinking about him and sending it to him and he asked me to nominate a charity so he could send a small finder’s fee.”

Nadia Al-Dujaili from Forth Hedgehog Hospital said she was “overwhelmed with this wonderful act of kindness” after receiving the donation, adding that she had sent Mr Salmond some trinkets on behalf of the charity.

Picture: Mhairi Edwards.