PUPILS at a Pontypool school released hedgehogs into the school’s grounds.

Pupils at George Street Primary were inspired when at the start of last winter a hedgehog was found wandering around the early- years area at the school.

Forest schools co-ordinator Amanda Jones took him along to City Wildlife Care, where the staff treated him for dehydration.

She was told that if she had not brought him in then he would have died.

City Wildlife Care returned to school and presented an assembly all about the services their charity offers, the types of animals it looks after and the work it does.

This captured the imagination of Year 6 pupil Samuel Robinson and along with his classmates, he was really interested in the welfare of the rescued hedgehog and came up with a plan to permanently home a family of hedgehogs at school.

They arranged a cake and squash stall, with children from each class taking money to participate in the activity. Staff and Friends of George Street School donated cakes for the event.

Enough money was raised to enable the school to make a donation of £100 to City Wildlife Care and to support the ongoing costs of having a family of hedgehogs in a hedgehog house in the Forest Schools area.

The wildlife rescue staff returned to the school last week to release the hedgehog family.