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Sick hedgehog turns up at Wick hospital


By Ali Morrison

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CAITHNESS General Hospital (CGH) in Wick may normally deal with humans but a rather prickly patient turning up one afternoon obviously in need of some help.

Groat reporter David G Scott was covering a story about a Lybster woman, Janet Ross, who had raised over £800 for CGH maternity unit when a spiky ball was seen moving around the corner of the hospital.

"It turned out to be a hedgehog that was obviously unwell," said David. The little creature was moving around slowly and unconcerned by people being near it – not good signs at all for a nocturnal animal.

The hedgehog was found wandering outside Caithness General Hospital in Wick and obviously unwell. Pictures: DGS
The hedgehog was found wandering outside Caithness General Hospital in Wick and obviously unwell. Pictures: DGS

Janet said: "It was weird that it was out in the daytime and that it had turned up at a hospital. The kids were fascinated by it."

Children from Lybster nursery school – where Janet works as an early years practitioner – were also at the photo shoot, handing over the £800 cheque to interim senior charge midwife Cara Birnie.

Janet created the protective masks for friends and family before putting them up for sale at D&S Henderson's shop in Lybster with a suggested charity donation of £3.

The hedgehog tucks into some dog food and is back to full health now.
The hedgehog tucks into some dog food and is back to full health now.

David then took the hedgehog home and after taking advice from wildlife animal charities nursed it back to good health.

"He slowly revived after eating a plate of dog food and eventually hid away under some shrubs." he said.

"I called Tiggywinkles Wildlife Hospital , which has long experience of caring for hedgehogs, and together with some advice from the SSPCA I'm glad to say the little animal has made a full recovery and back to its normal nocturnal activities."

Masks make money for mums and babies at Caithness General


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