Hedgehogs get a life-saving highway thanks to care home in Dunstable

Endangered hedgehogs have been granted safe passage across the grounds of a local care home thanks to nature-loving residents.

Caddington Grove Care Home on London Road has built an accessible hedgehog highway in their fencing to mark this year's Hedgehog Awareness Week.

Residents got behind the highway project after learning that when hedgehogs can't get into local gardens, they face a life-threatening shortage of food supplies.

As well as building the highway, the home has committed to leaving food and water outside for local hedgehogs to feast on at their leisure.

Resident Margaret, 75, said: "I love all animals and protecting our wildlife is vitally important. I think the hedgehog highway is a brilliant idea, anything to get them off the roads and doing well.

"I'm hoping we get some hedgehog visitors to our highway because I'd love to go and chat with them if we do!"

Margaret wasn't the only resident delighted to hear about the initiative.

According to fellow resident Pauline Fahy, 87, the project has touched her heart.

Pauline said: "It's such a good idea, and we've got grounds where the hedgehogs can roam freely. I haven't seen a hedgehog at Caddington Grove yet, but I would really like to see one using our highway because it does the heart good to think of them being safe."

The British Hedgehog Preservation Society is on a mission to establish the 13cm x 13cm gap highways in as many gardens as possible to create more habitats for hogs to visit.

They also encourage people to create feeding stations with water and meaty cat or dog food for visiting hedgehogs.

Hotel Service Manager Siobhan Connolly said Caddington Grove hopes to encourage the local community to follow their lead.

Siobhan said: "There's no time to waste in helping hedgehogs increase the number of habitats they can get into. I'm proud that Caddington Grove is now part of such a worthy cause, and I hope other people in Dunstable will establish their own highways. Together, we can make a real difference and protect hedgehogs in our communities."