A WEST Devon couple are trying to boost people's awareness of little garden visitors this winter.

Colin and Annie Tyrrell from Horrabridge have had a record 42 hedgehogs in their garden this year and are asking other residents to watch out for for the animals and give help if they need it.

The couple have joined Hedgehog Street — a campaign between the People's Trust for Endangered Species and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society to research into how the animals move about the countryside and what features of farmland they like best, which will help to provide guidance to farmers about how best to manage their land for hedgehogs.

Mrs Tyrrell said: 'The hedgehogs are now in danger because of all the new houses going up and the open land disappearing. People also put slug pellets out and the hedgehogs eat them. We are trying to learn as much as we can about the hedgehogs and want to make people aware of them.'

Mrs Tyrrell said at this time of year there are more orphan hedgehogs, and the couple look after them to keep them safe. If they find any that are ill or need specialist care, they take them to a volunteer vet in Plymouth and then release them back into the wild.

'We are trying to get the charity shop in Horrabridge involved, to see if people will donate any old towels, newspaper, scrap wood to make hedgehog boxes or dog food and cat food. They are lovely creatures and we just want people to be more aware of them and to help them if they need it,' said Mrs Tyrell.