A PRIMARY is welcoming endangered wildlife to a newly built safe haven.
Boorley Park Primary School has set up hedgehog hotels around its grounds to provide a safe and warm place for the prickly mammals to hibernate.
Alongside the ten new homes, a number of wildlife-friendly have been installed including bat and bird boxes.
Sian Ozanne, the assistant headteacher at the school, said: "The students are very excited about spotting hedgehogs, hopefully with some little hoglets soon.
"We’re glad to be able to provide them with valuable shelter from predators and the elements.
"We’re making an effort to be an eco-friendly school, so the hotels are beneficial for us."
She added: "We’re hoping to achieve a Green Flag Award from the Eco-School’s programme to show the community that we are encouraging the students to think about their impact on the environment."
The homes were donated by developers, Vistry Southern which has teamed up with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society in a project aimed at protecting endangered animals.
The building firm has also installed a number of wildlife-friendly features within its developments and properties, including bat and bird boxes.
Lucinda Box, marketing manager at Vistry Southern, travelled to the school to hand over the hotels in person.
She said, "I’m glad to know that these hedgehog houses will bring joy to the students at Boorley Park Primary School on top of providing shelter for the adorable animals.
"At Vistry, we believe in the importance of keeping the UK’s wildlife safe and thriving.
"Hedgehogs are a beloved part of Britain’s wildlife but have recently been classified as vulnerable to extinction, and we are committed to doing all we can to help reverse this decline."
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