HORRIFIED school children and teachers discovered the dismembered body of a hedgehog as they explored a church yard.

A stone slab near to St Margaret's Church, Hapton, was found covered in blood as if it had been used as a table to cut the animal up.

The hedgehog's head, feet and tail had been removed and its entrails were spread out on the path. There was also blood on the side of the church and door area as if the animal had been thrown against the building.

Deputy head at Hapton C of E Methodist School Mrs Irene Wensley said: "It was a horrible. Class three had devised a trail round the church yard to go with the church's 70th anniversary celebrations and it was on this that they discovered the body.

"The children were upset but we told them it had been killed by an animal and they seemed to accept that and got on with the project."

Church member Janet Dell and fellow welfare officer at the school Beryl Philipson cleaned up the animal.

Mrs Dell said: "It was quite sickening. I don't know if the hedgehog was killed by an animal or humans but we have had reports of a rabbit's head found in a telephone box in Hapton."

Burnley Ranger Kevan Talbot, who runs St Peter's Hedgehog Nursery, said: "It sounds horrific."

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