Chris Kidd

A hedgehog that weighs nearly four times as much as its fellow spiny mammals has been put on a diet. Staff from the Wildlife Aid Centre in Leatherhead, who discovered the 2.2kg (4.8lbs) animal in a volunteer's garden, initially thought he was ill. But after closer inspection George was found to be simply overweight.

"We've got to reduce his weight and we've got to do it slowly. Cat food is high in protein and we're stopping him eating bread. So it's a bit like the Atkins diet" according to Ms Cowen. Staff at the Wildlife Aid centre said the average adult hedgehog should weigh between 600 and 700g (1.3 and 1.5lbs).