Two north Norfolk residents have made it their mission to keep a rare breed of animal safe in the north Norfolk District.

For many years Maggie Wilcox has been picking up injured hedgehogs and hoglets, and then taking them to a North Walsham hedgehog sanctuary.

After two years of working with the owner of Hedgehog Haven, Miss Wilcox wanted to give something back to founder Marian Grimes.

Miss Wilcox, who lives in Holt explained: 'In 2016 we discovered via our hog cam, originally installed for birds, that we had a very poorly late autumn hoglet in need of immediate help. It was very small and we knew it wouldn't survive hibernation.

'I remembered seeing details on social media about a small independent hedgehog rescue based in North Walsham, which turned out to be Hedgehog Haven, and within 30 minutes the hoglet was with Marian.'

Miss Wilcox, 57, continued: 'Marian runs the sanctaury from her home. We've taken about eight hoglets to her, and she keeps them warm by having an electrical blanket on her kitchen work top.

'My husband found a hoglet we named Max outside Sheringham High School on May 14. When we took Max to Hedgehog Haven I said to Marian 'I'm going to get an incubator for you'. She does so much, and it's all self funded.

'She said that would be amazing, so I spoke to some other sanctuaries about what they use, and we're fund raising to buy her a TLC -50 Advanced incubator.'

Miss Wilcox, who was born and previous lived in Ontario, Canada, continued: 'We reached nearly £600 in the first 24 hours. I think people have really backed the GoFundMe Campaign because hedgehogs are a rare breed and they're in danger from so many different things.

'If we reach the £670 target we will keep fund raising, because Marian pays for all of the food, the medicine and the vets bills herself, and we could help her with that.'

Hedgehogs and their baby hoglets are often injured as a result of poisoning, strimmer injuries, predator attacks and motoring accidents.

To back the GoFundMe campaign, visit the Hedgehog Haven's fund raising site.