AN animal lover has appealed to conservationist Dr David Bellamy to help with her fight to save injured hedgehogs.

Owner of Hog Haven Lynne Appleby has been campaigning for fast food company McDonald's to redesign McFlurry containers, which she says cause injuries to hedgehogs.

The animals are drawn to the smell of the ice-cream and attempt to climb inside.

But once inside, the hedgehogs become stuck when their backward-pointing spikes act as a potentially-fatal trap.

Scores of the animals have been rescued by Ms Appleby, 52, after getting their heads stuck in the cartons.

She said: "I recently received an award for my services to nature development and decided to get in touch with Dr Bellamy to ask for his support.

"This is a very deserving cause and having Dr Bellamy behind me fighting to get the McFlurry packaging changed would be a huge boost.

"I know he is a very busy man so I just hope he feels as strongly about this as I and many other people do across the country."

Ms Appleby, who has taken in more than 100 hedgehogs during 2004, sent off a pack of information to the conservationist.

Dr Bellamy said he fully supported Ms Appleby and said he hoped her campaign against McDonalds McFlurry packaging would be successful.

He urged readers of The Northern Echo to help her Hog Haven in anywhay they could.

There are 73 hedgehogs in Ms Appleby's care at the sanctuary in West Dyke Road, Redcar. To help the sanctuary, contact her on (01642) 484920.

Early last month, A McDonald's spokesman said: "To date, we have undertaken significant work to research and develop several alternative designs that meet with our operational and consumer requirements.

"We are continuing our efforts to develop a suitable alternative and are working very closely with the British Hedgehog Preservation Society.

"We are currently undertaking a small-scale trial with our latest cup design."