A LUDLOW based national hedgehog charity has recruited iconic funny man Ken Dodd as a patron.

Ken Dodd, who performed at the Ludlow Festival, joins Anne Widdecome, Ben Fogle, Chris Beardshaw, Lorna Watson and Twiggy among the patrons of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

The society has also changed to a charitable trust that will, it says, make management easier but not change its objectives.

This is a vital time of the year for the society as it launches its Christmas catalogue of gifts. It is also a crucial time for the prickly creatures that it supports.

September is usually the start of the autumn juvenile season.

These juveniles would most likely survive if they had been born a little earlier in the year, but now it will be a hard race for them to put on enough weight to survive hibernation.

It is at this time of year that the society urges people to put out food for their visiting hedgehogs.

Suitable food is hedgehog food, meaty cat or dog food (wet or dry, avoid fishy flavours), dried meal worms and just water to drink. By putting on weight these youngsters will stand a far better chance of surviving their hibernation.

The added weight will also help them to cope with any internal parasites they may have picked up during foraging. There is a fine line between whether these small hedgehogs need to be rescued or whether, with extra help, they can be left in the wild.

The society has produced a leaflet on autumn juveniles which can be found on the website (www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk) or posted.