A leading conservation charity is warning people not to dump pumpkins in woodlands this Halloween because they can kill hedgehogs.
The Woodland Trust says while some people believe pumpkins help to provide wildlife with food and help trees to grow, they can prove to instead be harmful.
The charity has spotted a worrying trend in recent years where pumpkins have been dumped in woodland, because the public think it will be beneficial.
An estimated eight million pumpkins will be discarded in the days after this evening, with may dumped in woodlands, the Trust says.
But experts believe pumpkins can upset hedgehog’s stomachs, leaving them dehydrated and unwell just when they need to be fattening up for winter.