WILDLIFE campaigner Angela Squires is campaigning for people to stop putting down poisonous slug pellets after three hedgehogs died last week.

Angela, who founded Poole’s Crash hedgehog hospital, said three of the spiny mammals were bought into the hospital last week all with symptoms of poisoning.

According to Angela they were shaking violently, not moving and refusing food or drink.

Unfortunately they all died the same night they came in.

"I'm sick of this happening every year in spite of all the information we put out promoting the safe organic slug pellets and trying to raise awareness of the dangers of using these lethal metaldehyde slug pellets," said Angela.

"Yet still the public continue to buy and use them and it really is soul destroying.

"There's nothing we can do for the little hoggies except give pain relief injections. There's no antidote for metaldehyde slug pellet poisoning and they always die."

She recommends that gardeners concerned about wildlife and pets should look for a metaldehyde-free brand of pellets called Growing Success Advanced Slug Killer.

"Something we've been using to clean out our hedgehog hutches and houses is Diatomaceous Earth powder," added Angela.

"It's totally organic, cheap and won't harm pets or children, but will kill slugs, snails and ticks on contact by dehydrating them.

"The only downside is that it doesn't just target the bad insects, it kills the beneficial ones as well. So only sprinkle it round the plants you need to protect and read the instructions."

For more details about Crash and the work Angela does to treat sick hedgehogs go to www.hedgehogs.org.uk.