THE RSPCA were called out to rescue a hedgehog which found itself covered in paint.

A Taunton resident called the animal welfare charity after finding the unusually coloured critter in their garden.

The hedgehog, who has been named Sonic after the blue hedgehog in the video game, is currently being treated by the team at RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre who have been carefully removing the blue paint from her spikes.

RSPCA animal collection officer (ACO) Clara Scully said: “Thankfully she was still alive and is now getting the help she needs.

"We’re unsure what happened to her, whether she was painted intentionally, or if she fell into the paint somehow.”

The animal welfare charity is asking people to make sure they store all paint, chemicals and pesticides securely and out of the reach of animals and children, and is asking people to dispose of old paint and paint tins responsibly by taking them to their local recycling centre.

Dr Bel Deering, centre manager at RSPCA West Hatch, said: “Sonic has been eating well and is getting stronger. She had to be anaesthetised to have the substance removed and there is still a blue tinge on the spines.

“The substance was very rubbery and hard to remove. It was quite caustic and so where it touched the skin there are some sore patches that will need to be monitored.”

Sonic is just one of a number of hedgehogs cared for by the RSPCA at the charity’s specialist wildlife centres. While the teams have recently released hundreds of hedgehogs who had come in weak and underweight in autumn and winter, they are now preparing for an influx of prickly casualties as hedgehogs start to become more active in the warmer weather. Llewelyn Lowen, scientific information officer at the RSPCA, said: “Unfortunately, the injuries and deaths we see are often caused by everyday garden items like strimmers, sports netting and pond or fruit netting. "Even simple gardening activities such as forking over a compost heap can have deadly consequences for these little creatures. With a little caution, these kinds of horrific injuries are completely avoidable.

“We urge the public to become more hedgehog aware. Simple things like checking before you start strimming or using your garden fork, remembering to put sports netting away when it’s not in use and keeping drains covered can really make a difference and help protect the welfare of these iconic creatures.”

The busiest period for hedgehog admissions to RSPCA wildlife centres is between April and November. Between 2010 and 2016, the centres admitted 13,037 hedgehogs; 7,986 of which were either hoglets or juvenile hedgehogs.

For advice on living with hedgehogs and guidance on making your garden safer for hedgehogs, visit https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/livingwith.