ONE of our favourite wild creatures, the hedgehog, is under grave threat these days from a whole host of man-made dangers: road traffic, gardeners' slug pellets and strimmers, even cattle grids which they fall into and cannot escape.

To help protect this star of hundreds of children's books and cartoons, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society has designated May 6/12 as Hedgehog Awareness Week.

For more information, send SAE to: BHPS, Knowbury House, Knowbury, Ludlow, Salop SY8 3LQ.