A video has gone viral on social media showing dedicated staff at Oak and Furrows wildlife rescue centre using hydrotherapy to help a hedgehog learn to walk again.

The hedgehog was brought to the RSPCA centre in May. It was dragging its back legs, which is usually the sign of a break or soft tissue damage.

Luckily for the spiky casualty an x-ray revealed no breaks, so physiotherapy was recommended.

Anj Saunders from the centre on the Blakehill Farm nature reserve near Cricklade said: “Our vets advised to do physio with him. But one of the volunteers that comes in on the weekend is trained as a vet nurse and animal physiotherapist.”

“She suggested trying in the water, hedgehogs like swimming, so wouldn’t be too traumatic.”

“We gave it a go and he didn’t appear to be using his legs and he was resistant, so we put him deeper water and gave him a little wooden perch to try and get out and he started using his legs. He got used to it and started to enjoy it.

Vets were involved in the process every step of the way and staff worked tirelessly for weeks with the little patient to build the strength up in his back legs by giving him regular swimming lessons

It took a while, but eventually he started showing major signs of improvement, and they were able to reduce the hydrotherapy sessions.

“After three or four weeks were able to reduce sessions and got to eventually release him back into the wild," explained Anj

The same volunteer who suggested the hydrotherapy, Jools Janisch-Howe, also made a video to document the hedgehog’s progress and posted it onto the centre’s Facebook page. The video received an overwhelming reaction.

“It went crazy, we were over the moon," said Anj.

“It’s really encouraging, and I hope that it makes a few people smile. It shows how hard our volunteers work, and there’s hope if they see a hedgehog looking rough, it’s not always doom and gloom. We give everything a chance and try everything to help any animal get better.”

RSPCA Oak and Furrows takes in all manner of sick and injured wildlife with the aim of help them get better and releasing them back into the wild. It has dealt with hundreds of sick and under weight hedgehogs in recent years, along with deer, small mammals, birds and even reptiles.

It relies on public donations and is currently in need of wet cat and dog food, unwanted bedding and old newspapers. It is also looking for volunteers to help with administration. Visit oandf.co.uk or call 01793 751 412.