MORE than 1,000 visitors ventured out to Secret World Wildlife Rescue over the weekend to meet hedgehogs, tortoises and a wide variety of British wildlife.

Visitors also got a taste of the work that goes on to care for sick and injured wildlife at the rescue centre in East Huntspill, Highbridge.

Undeterred by the wet weather, the Vivian family from Launceston in Cornwall drove 95 miles to give six-yearold Elsie a special birthday treat of meeting eight-stone Eric, the huge sulcata tortoise who was at Secret World for the weekend, courtesy of the British Chelonia Group.

As a birthday gift last year, Elise’s grandparents adopted a badger from Secret World for her, and this year’s present was “the best ever”, she said.

Another youngster making a visit was 11-year-old Lucy Newman from Burtle near Mark who presented Secret World with a sweetie box containing £60 that she and her friend Grace Chorley had raised through several initiatives of their own.

“I grew rosemary and tomato plants and sold them at a music concert that my mother had organised,” Lucy said.

Secret World founder Pauline Kidner presented Lucy with a special certificate of thanks for her sterling efforts to raise funds and awareness for the rescue centre.

Pauline said: “It’s so heartwarming when someone so young goes to such great lengths to help us.

“Lucy is clearly an exceptional young lady with great initiative and excellent organisation skills.”

To demonstrate the kind of wildlife rescues that Secret World carries out, a Citroen Berlingo was on displaykitted out as an animal ambulance courtesy of Howards Motor Group in Weston-super-Mare.

Secret World volunteer Graeme Thompson briefed visitors on the work that goes into an animal rescue and showed potential volunteer response drivers the kind of equipment that is used.

Secret World’s next open event is on August 29-31 and is “Nature’s Hunters”. For more information, visit secretworld.

org/natures-hunters