Wellingborough boy creates hedgehog haven in his back garden

An 11-year-old boy from Wellingborough has helped save a family of hedgehogs after fears new alley gates would stop them being able to forage for food.

During lockdown, Harrison Hart, 11, turned his garden into an oasis for wildlife with ponds and plants that encouraged them to visit.

His endeavours resulted in a family of hedgehogs, now a vulnerable species in the UK, taking residence in his back garden.

Harrison's inspiration stemmed from worrying that these hedgehogs would not be able to use the alleyways near his home to gather food and water when he heard about the plan to install alley gates as part of the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner’s Safer Streets project.

His enthusiasm to help the prickly creatures led to Harrison writing to the commissioner’s office asking that hedgehog-friendly gates be installed and the undergrowth checked before works started.

Thanks to Harrison’s passion for nature and actions, a family of hedgehogs were carefully re-homed to a safe location before the work started.

The alley gates also provide sufficient space for hedgehogs to roam freely.

To read more about the alley gates scheme in Wellingborough, click here.

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