HAVING just seen an autumn mop fair struggle on despite high winds and torrential rain, we're keeping our fingers crossed that Bonfire Night stays fine.

At the bottom of the garden, though, our hedgehogs are praying for rain. Hedgehogs love to nest in big piles of garden debris like compost heaps and, unfortunately, bonfires. Every Guy Fawkes' Night many of the poor creatures are killed or badly burned. A wet Guy Fawkes' means a nice heap of wood to hibernate in over winter.

If November 5 is fine, please Remember Remember, before you light that match, to check thoroughly through your pile of wood and make sure a hedgehog is not snoozing inside.

Anyone who wishes to learn more about the Society, its activities and the wide range of hedgehog goods which are sold should send a stamped addressed envelope to the address below.

A H COLES, British Hedgehog Preservation Society, Knowbury House, Shropshire, SY8 3LQ.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.