Musical composer Sir Tim Rice has been recruited as a foster carer for hedgehogs facing the death sentence in the Western Isles.

He confirmed he would take 200 to be released on his 33,000-acre Dundonnell Estate in Wester Ross and may also encourage other high-profile personalities to do the same.

It was confirmed last week that the 5,000 island hedgehogs are set to be killed by lethal injection next April.

The move is part of an operation by Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) to protect seabird breeding grounds on north and south Uist and Benbecula.

Sir Tim Rice: Recruited as foster carer

Campaigners accused the organisation of "flying in the face of animal welfare advice and public opinion".

But the "tough decision" was defended by SNH chairman Dr John Markland.

A handful of hedgehogs were first introduced to the Uists in 1974 to help control slugs and snails in islanders' gardens.

Their numbers mushroomed but so did the threat to important populations of waders including dunlin, lapwing, redshank and snipe.

Bird population falls

Recent surveys have shown that the numbers of some species of wading birds had dropped by nearly 60% in the last five years.

SNH said the hedgehogs were jeopardising the populations of some birds by preying on their eggs.

It ruled out the relocation of the creatures to the mainland on the grounds that almost half had died as a result of previous attempts.

But it said it was willing to advise any animal welfare groups which wanted to fund a full scientific study of such a move.