Teens use hedgehog as hurley ball

By Bryce McGarel
BBC News

The hedgehog lost an eye in the incident Enlarge Image

A group of youths who used a hedgehog as a ball during a hurley game in a Ballymena car park have been condemned by an animal charity.

The hedgehog was rescued by a woman who saw the group of 10 to 15 teenagers hitting the animal with hurley sticks in the car park in the Dunvale area.

The animal, which is being looked after at the Happy Hedgehog Rescue Centre in Belfast, lost an eye in the incident.

Nigel Reavy from the centre said he was "totally aghast" at the attack.

"From what the woman told us we are surprised that the animal is still alive," he said.

It is receiving a little TLC after the attack

"We get some hedgehogs which are badly injured in road collisions, but to think this was done deliberately is horrific."

Mr Reavy said that because of its injuries the animal, which has been named Harry, will not be able to be released back into its natural environment once it recovers.

"The animal will be too vulnerable to be returned to the wild, so the best we can do for it is return it to an enclosed garden where it can be looked after," he said.

Police have appealed for anyone with information concerning the incident, which took place at about 2300 BST on 3 August, to contact them.