A CHARITY has asked for people to "walk like a hedgehog" during a sponsored hike to raise funds for works to protect their natural habitat.

The countryside charity CPRE Sussex, formerly Campaign to Protect Rural England, wants people to walk 3km, the same distance that a hedgehog can walk in a night.

The event takes place next month and the aim is to raise money so that CPRE can protect vital hedgerows.

According to People's Trust for Endangered Species and the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, the UK has lost more than half its rural hedgehogs in the past decade.

The Argus: Hedgehog walk

This is largely due to a loss of habitat, declining food sources and destruction of nesting sites.

CPRE Sussex chairman, Prof Dan Osborn said: “Hedgerows are vitally important. They are major features of the Sussex landscape and essential habitats supporting over 2,000 species, including our much-loved hedgehogs.

“Three kilometres is a remarkable distance for such a small animal to travel, but it’s not such a great distance for us, so we are hoping that lots of people of all ages will take up this challenge and ‘walk like a hedgehog’ for such a good cause.”

The hike can be carried out anywhere in the county and is open to all ages.

Prof Osborn added: “Hedgerows also help in the fight against climate change.

“They are brilliant at capturing carbon. Each year a new hedgerow can absorb the amount of carbon produced by a car travelling over 1,000 kilometres or 620 miles – that’s Eastbourne to Aberdeen."

Join the Hedgerow Hike at: www.cpresussex.org.uk/discover-your-countryside/hedgerow-hike/ and sign up by requesting a sponsorship form or setting up a Just Giving page.

Have you got a story for us? Email news@theargus.co.uk or contact us here.

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all the latest news.

Sign up to our newsletter to get updates sent straight to your inbox.

You can also call us on 01273 021 400.