TATTON Park is getting used to a prickly customer!

Christened ‘Billy Idol’, he’s an extremely rare blonde hedgehog who is fast gaining a fan club among the staff.

Found in Oswestry, Billy has been cared for by the RSPCA at the Stapeley Grange Wildlife Centre since he was a baby.

He has a rare recessive gene which results in his striking cream-coloured spines. Looking for a secure place to release Billy back into the wild, the RSPCA chose the gardens at Tatton Park.

Kathryn Warr, a veterinary nurse from Stapeley Grange, accompanied Billy on his first foray into freedom.

She said: “He loves strawberries and is quite opportunistic so should find plenty to eat in Tatton’s gardens.”

Billy is also quite prone to predators, particularly badgers, because of his light colouring.

Miss Warr added: “We ask that if the visitors do spot him, please do not touch him, pick him up or feed him. Like all celebrities, he needs his privacy.”