Songs inspired by a lost little hedgehog are forming a unique project created by a Sheringham musician.

Paul Thompson has produced a series of 31 songs which he plans to release one day at a time in December, selling downloads for donations to be put towards the Sheringham Hedgehog Hotel rescue centre.

Mr Thompson said the first song was called Baby Hedgehog, which he wrote after finding an injured hedgehog near his garden pond earlier this year.

He said: "I think it had fallen in, and was exhausted after struggling to get out of the pond again.

"I put the hedgehog in a box in my house with a hot-water bottle, a bowl of water and some cat food."

Eastern Daily Press:

Mr Thompson said the hedgehog was much better the next day, and he was able to release it back into the wild.

He added: "I was very moved by the experience, and wanted to do more to help hedgehogs, whose numbers have been declining in recent years due to a loss of habitat. 

Mr Thompson said: "When I found out about the great work that Sheringham Hedgehog Hotel do rescuing injured and sick hedgehogs I decided to create a fundraiser, and the idea for my musical Christmas calendar was born."

The songs can be downloaded on a ‘Christmas calendar’ page on Mr Thompson’s website at www.paulsmusic.co.uk.

He plans to perform live on Sheringham’s High Street on Saturday, December 17, where he will also be collecting for the charity.

Mr Thompson is no stranger to ambitious musical projects. 

He previously drove a milk float called Bluebell from Norfolk to the Edinburgh Fringe, via Scotland's Highland and Islands, setting a record for 'longest journey by milk float'.

Sheringham Hedgehog Hotel was launched late last year by Brian Reehl, after he also discovered hedgehogs in need of rescue and took them to another centre, Hedgehog Haven in North Walsham.

A report called the State of Britain's Hedgehogs 2022 says there could be between 200,000-250,000 hedgehogs living in gardens and other urban green spaces - out of a total population of 879,000.

But populations in rural areas remain low, and the largest declines in numbers have been seen in the eastern half of England.