As gardening enthusiasts look forward to enjoying the late summer in their well-kept patches, they are being urged to make a minor modification that could make a significant difference to one of the nation’s favourite creatures. With the hedgehog population in decline over recent years, British householders and gardeners can help by simply drilling holes at the bottom of their garden fences.

Hedgehogs, whose numbers have seen a significant decrease due to changes in environment and modern gardening as well as household and lifestyle habits, have an important role as natural pest controllers. An adult hedgehog will gladly consume up to 100 invertebrates, like snails and slugs, per night.

These are the same molluscs that avid gardeners constantly strive to keep away from their fruit, vegetable crops, and precious floral arrangements.