A prickly patient surprised a vet by giving birth after coming in for treatment for a toe infection.

A Mayland resident, who rescues hedgehogs, took the adult female to see veterinary surgeon Jurgen Theinert at Edgewood Vets in Purleigh.

Mr Theinert said: “She took her home with antibiotics and the next day she gave birth to three little things.

“They’re very sweet.

“We took an x-ray and had them all in for a few hours.

“The babies had to stay with their mother because they were feeding.”

The mum is on the road to recovering with the help of further antibiotics.