British gardens matter more than ever for hedgehogs, according to a study of the secret night life of the spiny mammals.
Scientists gave householders wildlife cameras to spy on hedgehogs in more than 400 gardens in Chester in one of the largest studies of its kind.
The animals turned up in more than half of gardens studied, with food a powerful attraction.
As numbers fall, scientists say these night-time visits could hold vital clues to the nocturnal mammal's survival.
Hedgehogs are listed as vulnerable to extinction in the UK, with populations falling, particularly in rural areas, due to habitat loss, intensive farming and death on roads.
