Somerset residents have been called upon to join a campaign to create 'hedgehog highways.'

A push is underway to have the so-called highways ready made in off the shelf garden fencing. The highways would allow hedgehogs to pass through gardens with ease.

It is being led by two hedgehog preservation charities, aiming to give hedgehogs, who are now an endangered species, better access to green spaces.

The public have been asked to write to local fencing companies to raise the issue and request 'hedgehog friendly' options among their product ranges.

Grace Johnson, Hedgehog Officer for Hedgehog Street said: "Hedgehog numbers have plummeted in recent years, with losses of up to 75 per cent in parts of the countryside. Hedgehogs can travel 2km in a single night, and fences prevent hedgehogs from accessing different gardens looking for food, shelter and potential mates, which is essential for their survival.

"Making a Hedgehog Highway is an incredibly simple yet effective solution, especially if manufacturers and suppliers offered ready-made products as standard, and made customers and installers aware of them.” 

“We really hope the nation will join us in the fight to save our native hedgehogs by asking local and national fencing manufacturers who aren’t already doing their bit to help. We understand it takes time to develop new products, but if a company pledged their support at this stage, it would be a huge step forward for hedgehog conservation.”