With one in seven British species threatened with extinction and a 95% fall in hedgehog numbers since the 1950s, educating young people about how to protect wildlife has never been more important.

With that in mind, Lewes Old Grammar Junior school children were treated to a day meeting Holly and Harry, two hedgehogs from the St Francis Animal Care and Hedgehog Rescue Centre near Petworth, whom by all accounts have 40 teeth, love pet food but often fall victim to badgers.

The children were enthralled by their prickly little guests and learned about the threats they faced in Britain such as their natural habitats being destroyed or poisoned through modern farming techniques. They are also vulnerable to being hit by cars as they hunt for food at night and they are hard for drivers to see in the dark.

Teacher Ruth Beresford said: “The children developed their awareness of conservation through learning about threats facing the hedgehogs in Britain, considering diet and habitat loss. They also looked at the hedgehog’s life cycle and examined the benefits of hibernation and a nocturnal life style. Coming face to face with a real-life hedgehog, children were able to experience first-hand the paws and the prickles of our guests.

She added: “They had been told that Harry and Holly love pet food so they brought in tins for them and also enjoyed a hedgehog facts treasure hunt. It’s so important that children, the earth’s future custodians, have their awareness raised about the importance of preserving these fast-declining creatures.”

Florence Barnard from Year 5 enjoyed the day, expressing her excitement at stroking a real hedgehog. She said: “The hedgehogs were so cute! I was surprised by the strange feeling of the spines. I also learned that the only natural predators of the hedgehog are badgers- nothing else can get past the ball of spikes!”