SECRET World Wildlife Rescue is appealing for cat food donations to help sick and injured hedgehogs survive the winter.

Food can be in short supply for hedgehogs during the autumn and winter, and the charity often admits hogs that are underweight and suffering from parasites, ringworm, ticks and worms.

The East Huntspill wildlife charity puts ill hedgehogs on a diet of meaty cat food in jelly and cat biscuits to help build their strength up.

Dan Bryant, animal care section leader at Secret World, said: “As the nights get colder we are expecting a lot more hedgehogs to be admitted over the winter months as they struggle to find food.

“Feeding and treating them becomes expensive and stretches our resources so we are asking for donations of cat food and biscuits to help these little creatures put on the weight they need to get through hibernation.

”By donating food, you are helping to give these animals a greater chance of getting back to where they belong – the wild.”

All donations will help them look after a greater number of hedgehogs through the winter.

Food donations can be dropped off at Secret World, New Road Farm, New Rd, East Huntspill between 8am and 8pm, seven days a week, or ordered from the charity’s Amazon wish list amazon.co.uk/gp/registry/wishlist/25FXCUD82U3IB.