A wildlife rescue that took in what was thought was a baby hedgehog found it was actually caring for a bobble from a hat.
It was brought to the Lower Moss Nature Reserve and Wildlife Hospital by a well-meaning rescuer last month.
On arrival they discovered the hoglet was in fact a “faux furry friend”, a volunteer for the animal charity said.
The rescue posted on social media a photo of the decorative ball, showing it nestled in a box beside a bowl of food.
“Our hearts melted”, the volunteer at the rescue, based in Knutsford, Cheshire, added.
“This adorable ‘hoglet’ still got all the love, complete with some cosy TLC”, the charity tweeted.
“Sometimes, even the most heart-warming stories start with a hilarious twist!”
The charity, which offers educational trips for schools and other groups, looks after about 2,000 injured animals each year.
