IN a remarkable act of Christmas charity, animal-lovers have raised £50,000 to save 5,000 hedgehogs condemned to death on the Scottish island of Uist - but it is still not enough.

The animals are due to be culled early in the New Year on the orders of Scottish National Heritage because they eat the eggs of ground-nesting birds but so far, the British Hedgehog Preservation Society has raised £50,000 to relocate them to the mainland.

But, said the society in a statement at the weekend, although the appeal was successful "we need more to relocate as many hedgehogs as possible."

Anyone wishing to contribute - and receive regular updates on the future progress of Operation Hedgehog - should send a cheque made out to the Uist Fund along with a A5 s.a.e. to Hedgehog House, Dhustone, Ludlow SY8 3PL.