THE HEDGEHOG who was allegedly kicked around a park ‘like a football’ by Fitzharry schoolboys had to be ‘put to sleep’ after bones were poking out of the skin.

The hedgehog would have been in a ‘severe’ amount of pain, said Luke – the officer at Oxford Wildlife Rescue.

He said he would be ‘seeking a prosecution’ for the youths from police, if he doesn’t hear back from the parents of two of the accused boys tonight.

The headteacher of Fitzharrys has released a statement. 

He said: “We got a phone call from a distressed lady who said a group of about four to six young boys decided to play football with a hedgehog.

“We took it to a vet who volunteers with us and X-rayed it.

“It had a broken pelvis bone and its spine had been completely shifted, there were bones sticking out of the side.

“On a pain scale of 1 to 10 it would have absolutely been at a 9.

“They have caused extreme suffering and pain.

“We did have to put the hedgehog to sleep.

“We shall inform the police if we can’t come to an agreement with the school or get in touch with the parents.

“We are looking for a prosecution.

“We are just deeply saddened by this, and all those involved – the lady who called, the volunteers and the vets, have been deeply affected.

“We want to urge anybody who was in or near Albert Park in Abingdon at around 7am to 8am yesterday people to get in touch with us, you can remain anonymous – but we want to get the identity of these people.”