It is Hedgehog Awareness Week and locally there have been some spots of hedgehogs, with one homeowner saying it was the first time she has seen hogs in her garden for many years.

Hedgehog Awareness Week runs until Friday May 8 with environmentalists hoping to raise the profile of the Britain's only spiny mammal.

A homeowner in Radstock took the photo which we have used on Nub News.

She posted : " I'm so excited! I opened my door and could hear a really strange noise, so went to see where it was coming from and it turned out to be two hedgehogs. One was a real whopper. "

As recommended by hedgehog forums, she left them well alone.

But added : " I haven't seen a live hedgehog for many, many years, so this made me really happy. I hope they have lots of hoglets and all stay safe."

There are many things homeowners can do to help hedgehogs including :

•Make sure hedgehogs can access your garden with a 'Hedgehog Highway' a 13 x 13cm square gap in the bottom of fences or walls should do it.

•Move piles of rubbish to a new site on the day you are burning it and check it carefully before setting light to it, lighting from only one side so that there's an escape route should you have missed anything.

•Ensure netting is kept at a height that allows hedgehogs to pass safely under it.

•Stop using pesticides and poisons.

•Ensure there is an easy route out of ponds & pools.

For more ideas of how to help, including how to build a hedgehog shelter, click HERE :