THE Hog Centre released 229 healthy hedgehogs back into the wild last year - but need your help to keep doing the work that they do.

Wirral Animal Sanctuary's Hog Centre team, based at Larton Liveries in Frankby, work around the clock to save and care for animals that would otherwise have nowhere to go.

And it's not just hedgehogs that they take in, just last week the volunteers had taken in a baby rabbit which had been discovered in a car park.

They have since named their new furry resident Marmite who is growing stronger and bigger by the day thanks to the team.

In February, Wirral Animal Sanctuary launched a huge £300,000 campaign to create a safe haven for all 'unwanted' animals.

Inspired by Freshfields in Liverpool, it has been Wirral Animal Sanctuary founder Steph Oliver's dream to create a fully functioning animal rescue centre for all animals from pets to farm animals and wildlife.

However The Hog Centre now needs to raise crucial cash to keep itself ticking over into the summer.

Steph told the Globe: "We very rarely do this and we hate to, but we really need your help.

"Keeping The Hog Centre running is a huge expense, and it’s been a very long hard winter.

"We are so happy that last year we were able to release 229 happy healthy hedgehogs back into the wild, and we need your help to do the same this year.

"We have so many expenses that you wouldn’t even realise such as rent, gas and electricity (around £200 a month), phone lines, equipment, printer ink, paper, vet costs (bottles of medication are up to £98 each) Acorn vets are fantastic and discount us wherever possible.

"We do have to have paid staff as there has to be someone on site all day, we cannot rely on volunteers for this.

"There is also volunteer expenses - there have been cases where volunteers have driven as far as North Wales, Runcorn and Liverpool to collect hedgehogs in need.

"We are really struggling financially at the moment.

"We are attending every community event it’s possible to attend and our volunteers are working so incredibly hard but sometimes it feels like it’s just not enough.

"We’re not a big charity, nor have we been going for many years, the only funds we get are the ones that we raise ourselves.

"We are really asking from the bottom of our hearts if you can spare a few pounds, we would be so incredibly grateful. It really does all add up, and if everyone who followed our page donated £1, we would have enough funds to sustain us over the Spring!"

To donate to Wirral Animal Sanctuary, donate using PayPal to info@wirralanimalsanctuary.co.uk, send cheques to Larton Liveries, or visit www.wirralanimalsanctuary.co.uk/donate