A network of hedgehog tunnels and holes in south-west London is playing a part in helping one of Britain’s most vulnerable animals survive in the capital.
Alice Mallorie has spent years adapting her garden in Barnes to make it more accessible to hedgehogs, and these routes form part of a wider community initiative which has become known locally as the hedgehog highway.
Openings have been created in fences and walls, including a passage drilled through a thick Victorian boundary, allowing the animals to move freely between neighbouring spaces.
Mallorie told BBC London: “I guess in a very low-key way, being able to see any wildlife in your garden is good for the soul.”
Her garden also includes feeding stations designed to support the nocturnal creatures, which are most active after dark.
“You know, they’re going down in numbers, so there’s something about them which is vulnerable and charming,” she added.