Northumberland Wildlife Trust is urging the region’s gardeners to thoroughly check their green spaces before they begin their usual outdoor tasks.

The Trust emphasises how thousands of hedgehogs annually suffer serious harm or death from garden strimming and lawn mowing.

Hedgehogs tend to nest in long grass during the day, and due to their natural defensive strategy of rolling into balls, are not adequately protected against garden machinery which may cause lacerations, loss of limbs or even death.

Moreover, the need for work prior to commencing garden tasks extends beyond simply looking for hedgehogs.

Baby birds, hares, frogs, toads, and reptiles can also suffer injury from garden machinery, particularly when taking their initial steps out of their nests.

With an increase in reports of wildlife injuries, Northumberland Wildlife Trust’s estates officer, Jennifer Care, provided advice for gardeners: "Overgrown hedges are often nesting sites for birds.

"If you need to trim them, do check carefully first to make sure there are no nests.

"Similarly, taking two minutes to check for wildlife before strimming, mowing, raking, or cutting can save an animal’s life or prevent its home from being destroyed.

"You never know what might be hiding away in the undergrowth!"