HEDGEHOG sanctuaries have been told to close their doors to new arrivals as a precaution against foot-and-mouth.

Any rescue centres violating the instruction face being told they are breaking the law and having all their hedgehogs slaughtered.

Lynne Appleby, who runs Hog Haven Sanctuary in Redcar said they had been told of the move in a letter from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Maff).

"They said if we take in any hedgehogs at all, we are breaking the law and all our animals will be destroyed," she said. "We are just coming into a busy time of year, when they are coming out of hibernation and they are naturally very weak.

"But we have got 46 hedgehogs here, so there is no way we will be jeopardising them."

The directive has also banned the release of hedgehogs into the wild and exercising them in the garden. Ms Appleby said: "Normally, they would be due for release around the end of May, but we will have to keep them until we are allowed to let them go - whenever that is."

She said: "I have never turned a hedgehog away in 12 years, but I have no choice now, there is nothing I can do and I feel so helpless. The only thing people can do is to notify the RSPCA."

A Maff spokeswoman said the move was a precaution to try to limit the spread of foot-and-mouth. She said: "We do know hedgehogs can get foot-and-mouth, so it makes sense to do this.