IN reply to Eileen Eastham's letter (LET, August 21), concerning hedgehog deaths, I would like to explain that hedgehogs suffer from a large range of diseases and accidents which cause thousands of deaths each year throughout the country.

I run Wild-Life-Line, East Lancashire's wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre based in Blackburn, and we receive a great number of hedgehogs each year.

The majority are suffering from e.coli infection which can be prevalent in warm, damp weather. As the infection progresses they lose weight, eventually becoming emaciated.

With no fat left to keep them warm, their core body temperature drops, and they become hypothermic. They can often be seen wandering around in daylight, stumbling and shaking in a weakened state before collapsing under a hedge or on someone's lawn.

On hot days their cold bodies attract flies and bluebottles which lay their eggs around the eyes, nose and mouth. These eggs can hatch very quickly and once they begin their deadly work the hedgehog is often doomed.

Should someone find a hedgehog abroad in daylight it is vital to seek expert help as soon as possible. Put the casualty in a box on a towel. A hot water bottle, even in hot weather will go a long way towards saving its life. Do not wrap the hedgehog up. You will insulate the cold in.

Allow the heat from the bottle to reach the body. Then ring us on 01254 693735 or your local vet. More information on what to do with a wildlife casualty can be found on our website at http://website.lineone.net/-wild-life-line

HELEN ADSETT (Mrs)