Two ambitious boys are donning their walking boots this summer to raise money for hedgehogs.

Ned and Will Battersby from Barnes, will be setting off with their father to walk 309 kilometres from St Bees, a coastal village in Cumbria to Robin Hood’s Bay, a seaside town on the Yorkshire Coast.

The boys aged 11 and 13 will be raising money for the British Hedgehog Preservation Society and the work they do to protect the declining species.

The brothers, who attend the Harrodian School in Barnes will set off on July 9 and anticipate that it will take two weeks to complete.

Today there are less than one million hedgehogs wandering British gardens, provoking campaigners to fight to save them.

The boys were inspired by the work of “Barnes Hedgehogs”, a local group headed by Michel Birkenwald, that works to make gardens in Richmond more hedgehog friendly.

Ned Battersby said: “It saddens me that despite reading about hedgehogs in books growing up, I’ve never actually seen one. I want to do the walk to raise money to protect hedgehogs so that thousands of kids like me don’t grow up without ever seeing these iconic and adorable creatures.”

To donate to the cause, visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/edward-battersby.

Fay Vass, Chief Executive of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society said, “We are delighted that the boys are so enthusiastic about helping hedgehogs, the challenge they are undertaking is amazing and we wish them luck every step of the way. Hedgehogs need more friends like Ned and Will!”

For more information on the work of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society visit www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk.