TV glamour boy Ben Fogle yesterday took part in the 13.1 mile Great North Run to demonstrate his support for Mr Prickles, the endangered British hedgehog.

Ben is a patron of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and before the race he said: “Hedgehogs were on the planet at the same time as the dinosaurs but it is now widely accepted that they are in decline.”

Meanwhile, the BHPS launched its autumn campaign asking gardeners to help “teenage” hedgehogs born to late in the summer to put on enough weight to survive the coming winter.

Gardeners are asked to put out dog or cat food if hedgehogs are on the prowl to fatten them up before they go into their winter hibernation. Put out water, too, but not milk – that can cause stomach upsets.