THE RSPCA is expecting to log its busiest month of the year after it received more than 3,500 calls from the north west of England in June last year.

The top five species the calls were regarding were pigeons, red foxes, gulls, hedgehogs and deer.

They were part of the 34,651 calls the RSPCA took from across the country in the same month.

It also took 28,211 calls nationwide in May 2018.

The RSPCA’s scientific officer Evie Button said: “May, June and July are our busiest months for wildlife, so our officers, centre staff and volunteers are flat out at this time of year.

“Caring for young animals at our wildlife centres can be a round-the-clock job.

“Some of the most vulnerable animals need to be hand-fed every few hours, even through the night.

“From newborn fox cubs which have lost their mother, to injured blackbirds or tiny orphaned hoglets, the RSPCA is busy caring for and rehabilitating animals so they can hopefully be re-introduced to the wild.”