HORRIFIC ANIMAL ABUSE: Hedgehog Blown Up By Cruel Thugs

A HEDGEHOG was fatally injured in a sickening firework attack after thugs attached a firework to it’s head and lit it.

The defenceless animal suffered catastrophic injuries in the blast and had to be put to sleep by vets.

Police are now hunting the cruel thugs who attached a firework to the hedgehog’s head before setting it off and are appealing for anyone with information to come forward following the shocking incident in Longton, Lancashire.

“This is an act of a very disturbed mind” – as stated by a shocked community member

News of the hedgehog’s death has been met with a wave of anger on social media.

One comment read: “This is sickening!… To inflict such pain on a living animal. Someone knows who did this, do the right thing and name the culprit now!”

Another woman wrote: “I’m off to make a donation to Preston Hedgehog Rescue – it would be fantastic if people are feeling so strongly for the poor little hog that they want to help all the other hogs in the fantastic care of Preston Hedgehog Rescue.

“We can’t save that poor little hog, but we can try and help to save all the others.”

It comes as thousands of Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent residents have signed a petition calling for the sale of fireworks to the general public to be banned.

South Ribble Police said the incident took place in the village of Longton, four miles south of Preston.

A South Ribble Police spokesman informed: “It comes with great sadness to say that due to this incident, the hedgehog has had to be put down due to the extent of the injuries.

“We request that anyone who may have had any information regarding this incident come forward. The incident took place on Pendlebury Close in Longton.”

Preston Hedgehog Rescue have informed that they have been inundated with requests to foster hedgehogs and it was working through them.