A LACK of funds may well be a prickly subject for volunteers at a Bolton hedgehog hospital, but a surprise donation has helped to slightly soothe worries.

As reported in last week's BEN, the Village Wild Animal Hospital in Little Lever has changed to the Lancashire Hedgehog Hospital - the need to specialise arising because of the vast numbers of spiky patients being brought in.

In response, the Hospital has created an accident and emergency ward, a recuperation ward and an outpatients outpost.

However, the hospital, on Churchill Drive, spearheaded by Mel Crossley, relies entirely on donations, and is in need of specialist equipment.

Yesterday, it was given a helping hand when two hedgehog incubators were delivered, courtesy of The Wildaid Foundation Trust.

The donation is part of the ongoing work of Wildaid's Challenge Scheme which aims to assist Wildlife Hospitals all over the country.

Mel explained: "We are absolutely delighted. This is a big help that came out of the blue.

"We rang the Trust a couple of weeks ago, and wrote a letter. But we heard nothing, until this week when we were told we would be getting the two incubators."

The incubators form a vital part of the hospital's equipment and can be used as life savers in many situations.

They can be used for an adult hedgehog admitted to the hospital shocked or suffering from hypothermia, or for orphaned baby hedgehogs which need warmth at a constant temperature while they are too young to regulate their own body temperature.

Kate Hodges of the Trust, based in Staffordshire, said: "We are delighted to be able to practically help Mel Crossley at the hospital in this way.

"Mel heard about the work of Wildaid through a fellow rehabilitator and contacted us to ask if we could help in any way.

"When we realised what important work the hospital was doing, we knew that Wildaid Challenge was perfect to assist him."

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