A hedgehog has been rescued from a garden after it was covered in red paint, the RSPCA says.

The female hog was discovered in a garden in Wigborough near Yeovil by a concerned resident who thought it was covered in blood and rushed it to RSPCA West Hatch Wildlife Centre.

But after the hedgehog - which weighs just 800g - was examined by staff, it was found the colour "was in fact some kind of dye or paint".

Kayla Terry, centre manager, added that the team could not be sure if the animal was deliberately painted, but "thankfully the hedgehog is unharmed".

Terry said the hog's skin, eyes and respiratory system did not seem to have been affected by the paint - but it would take some time for her looks to return to normal.

"The red does seem to have dyed her spines a little more permanently.

"[Although] adult hedgehogs are continuously shedding their spines, replacing old with new, which will mean as time goes on, she'll return to her normal colouration," she said.

In the meantime, Terry said the hog had been signed off as healthy and fit by the veterinary team and would be released "back into the wild where she belongs very soon".

Although it is not known how this happened and whether it was intentional or an accident, the RSPCA reminded people to "make sure they store all paint, chemicals and pesticides securely and out of the reach of animals and children".

It also asked people to dispose of old paint and tins responsibly by taking them to their local recycling centre.

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