CHERITON Fitzpaine Ladies Evening Organisation’s February meeting was an illustrated talk given by village resident Marian Beresford and Susan Tuckett from Crediton.

Both rescue and care for ill, injured or underweight hedgehogs and, along with their husbands have attended courses run by the British Hedgehog Preservation Society. Hedgehogs are a popular subject, and several men came with their wives.

Hedgehogs are an endangered species, and are now more commonly found in domestic gardens rather than in the wild. They eat beetles, earthworms and caterpillars. NOT bread and milk! If you want to supplement their diet, meat-based cat food and water are ideal.

We were told how to recognise a sick or injured hedgehog - they might stay still for some time, struggle to walk and will probably be covered in fleas.

We were taken through the care they are given before being released into the area in which they were originally found.

Hedgehogs can walk up to two miles a night and you may not have the same animal as before! Instead of a fee, the ladies asked us to bring chicken-based cat food containers, or donations.

Cheriton Fitzpaine "Men in Sheds" are currently making hedgehog houses out of wood. They meet on Wednesday mornings in the former Methodist Chapel.

Mary Nunn