AN animal safe haven is urging people to donate newspapers to help support the recently rescued baby hedgehogs now in its care.

Wildlives Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, in Frating Road, Thorrington, provides care and basic medical treatment to wildlife, ensuring any bird or animal gets the veterinary treatment it needs.

Founded in 1995 by Rosie Catford, the charity has helped thousands of animals after she realised people had no place to send injured wildlife.

Gazette: Outside - One of the hoglet's at the centreOutside - One of the hoglet's at the centre (Image: Wildlives)

The facility is now is asking the public for newspapers which will be used to line the cages in the complex's hospital and keep its new litter of tiny hedgehogs comfortable and warm.

It takes five papers to line each cage and papers on the base of the cages are removed to freshen it up ready for the night.

Bev, the charity's administrator, said: "The hoglets are coming in because they are from a second litter and are not fully up to a safe weight to survive the winter.

Gazette: Tiny - Another one of the hogletsTiny - Another one of the hoglets (Image: Wildlives)

"A hedgehog needs to be at least 600g and these youngsters are only about 200g. Hedgehogs are endangered so they need all the help we can give them.

"These underweight hoglets will stay with us until spring or until they are at their full adult weight, hence we get through lots of papers."

Hoglets aren't the only animals in need of these newspapers as the charity is also home to fox cubs, birds and other rescued wildlife.

Gazette: Adorable - One of the baby otter's looked after at the centreAdorable - One of the baby otter's looked after at the centre (Image: Wildlives)
The newspapers are used in a variety of ways, such as for bedding when it's turned into strips, lining for cages and to make the cages easier to clean.
Gazette: Cute - Fox cubs in Wildlives centreCute - Fox cubs in Wildlives centre (Image: Wildlives)

Wildlives Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre boasts many different enclosures covering six acres of land and provides a natural  environment for the centre's many animal patients.

Newspaper donations can be taken in to the centre every day of the week from 9.30am until 4:30pm.

For more information head to wildlives.org.uk.