THE borough’s hedgehogs have a new respite centre to help nurse them back to full health.

A rescue centre at Hoylake's Carr Lane industrial estate is now up and running having opened its doors on Wednesday.

Steph Oliver from Wirral Animal Sanctuary and volunteer vet Corrie Plumpton say they have been inundated with people offering help after an article appeared in the Globe.

Wirral Globe: Steph and Prickles the hedgehog

Steph said: “Since being in the paper we have had so many calls and people turning up donating items such as food and papers.

"It’s been crazy.

"There’s no money for these animals so it’s all totally self-funded and through fundraising like on our 'gofundme' page.

"We have plenty of donations but we have to pay rent like everyone else and buy the medication the hogs need.

“We had cleaned all their cages - and then they just trashed them! They’re really messy and cleaning their cages takes time but we’re all willing to do it."

She contined: “Currently we have four hogs here and a fifth one is currently in the vets because it is very sick.

“Prickles, who is our first guest, has become famous since being covered in the Globe - everyone wants to see and hear more from him.

"One of his eyes have closed up today so we’re going to have to give him some more treatment before he goes anywhere just yet.

“We have the space to separate the animals if needs be if they have an illness that can be passed on to other hogs.

"The facility we have here is truly adaptable and the possibilities are endless with what we can do that’s what is so exciting about the new space.

"We have another recruitment day coming up for volunteers in February so if people want to get involved they just need to drop us a message on our Wirral Animal Sanctuary Facebook page.

To find out more or to donate visit https://www.gofundme.com/save-wirral-hedgehogs