ONE of Truro’s famous wooden hedgehogs has left his city centre roundabout home to take centre stage at Chelsea Flower Show.

Denzil enjoyed a much-needed makeover before setting off for the flagship event of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), where he formed part of the display celebrating 60 years of Britain in Bloom.

Upon his return from Chelsea, Denzil will travel to Wadebridge for the city council’s display at the Royal Cornwall Show.

Denzil and his “siblings” - Kizzy, Patricia and Cecil - moved onto the busy Trafalgar roundabout in 2019 as part of a project developed by the Wild Truro team, Truro in Bloom and Truro City Council’s parks department to raise awareness of the plight of hedgehogs. 

The sculptures were designed and created by artist Emma Scott, using coppiced wood gathered near her studio in Mellingey Mill willow wood craft centre in St Issey.

Each hedgehog has 3,500 prickles, all individually chopped, hand-carved, drilled and stitched on to chicken wire which was placed around a metal frame, the head covered with coir fibre. The eyes were made from ebonised oak by Cornish woodsmith Dominic Pearce. 

“The original plan was for the hedgehogs to remain at the roundabout for 12 months,” said Truro City Council parks manager Richard Budge, who accompanied Denzil on his odyssey.  “But everybody fell in love with them and begged us to let them stay.

“The hedgehogs have become quite symbolic - rather than Trafalgar roundabout or the police station roundabout, as it used to be known, people now refer to it as the 'hedgehog roundabout'.”

In winter, the hedgehogs go into “hibernation”, covered with sticks and greenery to protect them from the elements. Their reappearance heralds the onset of spring.

Unfortunately, after five years of wind, rain, sun and even snow, the four creatures have deteriorated, with their faces, prickles and frames all in need of some urgent repair. 

“Some of the prickles have also started to rot and are now falling off - and birds have been ripping off patches of the hedgehogs’ faces to use the coir fibre for their nests,” said Mr Budge. 

The first of the family to have his makeover, Denzil arrived at Mellingey Mill at the beginning of April, where Emma and her team of six helpers spent 256 hours cutting and whittling, drilling and stitching.

Once the city council has assessed the cost of repairing Denzil, it will consider how to fund the restoration of the remaining hedgehogs – Mr Budge indicated a GoFundMe page might be set up.

“We know the hedgehogs have captured the public’s imagination and that many people want to see them restored so hopefully they will come forward with ideas and offers of support,” he added.