Four orphaned hedgehogs, Kermit, Peanut, Ginger, and Corsa, have been rehomed in the garden of the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell.

The young hedgehogs were discovered abandoned on a North Yorkshire farm after their mother died.

Rescued by Sarah Patterson, who runs Dringhouses Hedgehog Rescue in York, the tiny hoglets were hand-fed and nursed back to health.

Initially dehydrated and the size of hen’s eggs, the hedgehogs made a remarkable recovery over two weeks. Once ready for release, Patterson reached out to the Archbishop’s office, having previously cared for a hedgehog found at Bishopthorpe Palace. The Archbishop agreed to provide a new home for the quartet in the palace grounds, which offer a safe, food-rich environment.

In an interview with the BBC, Patterson said: "We did a soft release of them in my garden, where we put the two boys in one hedgehog hut and the two girls in another but they decided they all wanted to be in one nesting box together."

“The release was a blessed moment” Patterson added. She noted that the Archbishop performed a special blessing for the hedgehogs.

Archbishop Cottrell expressed his joy at being able to help, telling the outlet: “We’re pleased to have this partnership with our local rescue center.” He has also committed to rehoming more hedgehogs in the future.