A four-legged pest controller in the form of a hedgehog called Stuart will be taking up his duties in social worker David Harper's back garden.

Mr Harper was told by the RSPCA he could only have a three-legged hedgehog to clear up the slugs in his garden at his home in Stirling Gardens, Hove, because it was so small.

For two years the Harper name languished on a waiting list for a disabled animal.

But now Mr Harper and his six-year-old daughter Poppy have welcomed Stuart, who has been donated by an animal rescuer from Worthing.

They plan to build tunnels to help expand the garden and give Stuart plenty of room to roam.

Mr Harper said: "I'm coming off the three-legged list and getting round the problem by expanding the territory.

"We are going to build tunnels into the next door neighbours' gardens, with their permission, so that Stuart has the potential to roam in up to eight gardens.

"If anything, it's a good way to do some community building because we might all be sharing a hedgehog.

"Poppy was the first to pick him up. She said even though he was spiky, he had a soft belly.

"He went round the garden having a good sniff and then went straight to his hutch, which belonged to a rabbit that ran away years ago.

"He's very chilled out and laid back - he's not at all bothered by our two cats."

Animal rescuer Sylvia Brown, 70, rang David and Poppy after seeing the article in The Argus last Saturday.

She said: "I felt sorry for them.

"I had three hedgehogs that we rescued last year because they were too young to hibernate.

"I usually try to rehome them but not as pets.

"They are not the docile little things people think they are.

"We had a blind one that used to try to bite people's toes."