WILDLIFE campaigner Angela Squires has thanked the public for their help in raising nearly £400 for her hedgehog hospital.

Angela founded Crash Hedgehog Hospital in Poole more than 20 years ago in 1992.

Now 24 years later CRASH has approximately 2,000 hedgehogs passing through the rescue centre each year.

Some may stay for a couple of hours to be assessed for injury and others may require expensive veterinary treatment with a long rehabilitation period before being considered fit enough to be released back into the wild.

Last month she launched a fundraising campaign to raise money to pay for the surgery needed on injured hedgehogs.

Now just a few weeks later she has raised nearly £400 - breaking her target of £300.

"I would like to thank everyone who has generously donated to my online appeal on facebook and the Bournemouth Echo, for help towards the cost of operations and amputations that enable the badly injured hedgehogs that arrive at our hospital to have a second chance of life," said Angela, 71.

"I am so amazed and grateful for the response it received, in such a short time - especially as there are two casualties just arrived needing amputations.

"Our initial goal of £300 has been reached, so hopefully they will be able to have the surgery as soon as we get any infections down."

However despite this initial fundraising goal being reached, Angela explained that the charity doesn't make anywhere near enough money to meet the demand for help.

"It's a constant and ongoing struggle, so we desperately need you to keep on supporting us so that we can help every one of these rare, and helpful little animals.

"The operation alone costs around £200 and CRASH pays for all the food, medications, needles, syringes and drugs as well.

"But if there's not enough money to cover it, the animal has to be put to sleep and this is a heartbreaking decision we never want to make.

"Hedgehogs are a protected species, as they are now in very serious decline, with less than a million left.

"Please keep donating and thank you all so very much for caring."

To donate go to gofundme.com/2j7xe9mc or for further information on CRASH go to hedgehogs.org.uk.