Suffolk hedgehog champion Lynda Brignall raises concerns about the mammals dying on roads of Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds

A hedgehog champion is concerned about the numbers dying on the roads of a Bury St Edmunds estate – and is urging people to be aware of these declining mammals.

Lynda Brignall, who is a volunteer at Suffolk Hedgehog Hospital, in Ousden, is particularly worried about hedgehog fatalities on Moreton Hall, Bury St Edmunds, on a number of main roads.

She said Skyliner Way was one of the main hotspots for hedgehog fatalities in the town, and also mentioned Mount Road, Orttewell Road, Lady Miriam Way and Barton Road.

She said 35 fatalities on these roads in 2024 had been plotted on the Hedgehog Street online map – however the true number would be much greater.

Lynda, of Great Barton, said: “The worst road of all is Skyliner Way. It’s a busy road and last year I removed in one go six deceased hedgehogs off the side of the road in Skyliner alone. That’s what galvanised me into thinking we have to do something really.”

She said seeing dead hedgehogs on the side of the road was a ‘horrible sight’.

Lynda, who was speaking during Hedgehog Awareness Week this week, added: “They are now formally classified as vulnerable to extinction so unless we do something we are going to lose them.”

Lynda, who volunteers as a hedgehog rescuer and educator for Suffolk Hedgehog Hospital, is urging drivers to slow down and be aware of hedgehogs on the roads. The roads mentioned above all have a 30mph speed limit.

“People shouldn’t be going fast around these areas anyway, but for some reason they do,” she said. “I always say if you can see a brick on the road you don’t generally drive over it, you should slow down and go around it, and it should be for the same for a hedgehog.”

Lynda, who has been trying to achieve official hedgehog signs on Moreton Hall, said hedgehogs didn’t have any road sense, and their natural instinct if they feel car vibrations is to stay put and curl up.

She also has advice for how residents can support these creatures.

She said it was really important for people to leave food and water out for them, adding that with the ground being so dry, it was difficult for them to access their food source of worms, beetles and insects.

Hedgehogs are nocturnal, but healthy females will come out during daylight hours for extra nesting material and food for themselves.

At the moment, hedgehogs will have recently come out of hibernation and females will be pregnant and giving birth, so in five/six weeks’ time the hoglets will be out and about – something else for people to be mindful of, said Lynda.

She said as Moreton Hall had grown, and is still growing in size, hedgehogs were unfortunately being displaced from their habitats.

Melanie Soanes, chair of the Moreton Hall Residents’ Association, said the association was looking to launch a Moreton Hall Wildlife Champions Group, with a view to helping the hedgehogs and other wildlife that is being reduced on the estate.

“Some action really does need to be taken,” added Melanie.

She is also organising wheelie bin stickers to raise awareness of hedgehogs. Email mhraquestions@gmail.com or Andy McGowan, vice-chair of the group, on mhravicechair@gmail.com for more information.