HAMPSHIRE residents are being urged to ‘rewild’ areas of their gardens in an effort to support local wildlife, after a worrying increase in garden strimmer related injuries at hedgehog rescue centres.

The appeal comes following BBC Springwatch advised more people to start using bio-diversity techniques to encourage more species back into UK gardens.

It is also hoped it will curve the number of serious injuries inflicted on hedgehogs, many of whom are killed by gardeners using strimmers or bush cutters to trim undergrowth, hedges and foliage – where many animals build their nests.

Injuries include the spikes being cut short, large areas of soft tissue loss, puncture wounds, limbs lost and severe and unrecoverable laceration.

Rewilding, also known as ‘ungardening’, is a growing trend in the UK and wildlife experts at Spike’s Hedgehog Food believe it could hold the key to giving a much-needed boost to the numbers of beloved British animals, including hedgehogs.

Wildlife expert Lizzie Jennings at Spike’s Hedgehog Food said: “Sadly, every year hundreds of hedgehogs are admitted into rescue centres due to serious and sometimes fatal injuries.

“Whether its strimmers, lawnmowers or even pesticides, many of the common gardening techniques means a large number of gardening enthusiasts are unwittingly making life so much harder for their local wildlife.

“However, we understand these are popular garden tools and that it isn't possible to stop people using them, we simply want to raise awareness of the dangers.

"The solution to avoiding unnecessary injuries is simply to check garden edges, long grass and under shrubs before using the mower or strimmer, which can save a hedgehog from serious injury or even death."

Lockdown has seen a renewed interest in nature, with groups such as RSPB noting a heightened interest in wildlife as many people spent more time outside in their gardens.

The Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue Centre, part of the Amazing Grace the Hedgehog campaign - who receive a percentage of each sale of Spike's Hedgehog Food - say the problem is far from rare.

Chief Executive of the Save Me Trust, who run the Amazing Grace the Hedgehog campaign and Harper Asprey Wildlife Rescue, Ann Brummer said: “Strimmer injuries are one of the biggest killers for hedgehogs but are, unfortunately, extremely common.

“If anyone saw the kind of damage they can cause to animals, they’d think twice before picking one up. Our gardens should and can be a safe haven for hedgehogs and with a little forward thinking they still can be.”