BBC Breakfast host Sally Nugent breaks down in hysterics over story of animal lover who mistook the top of a bobble hat for a hedgehog that needed rescuing

BBC Breakfast’s Sally Nugent struggled to contain herself on the iconic red sofa when she heard the story of an animal lover who mistook the top of a pom-pom hat for a hedgehog in distress.

The presenter, 52, burst into laughter as co-host Jon Kay read stories of so-called Good Samaritans who mistook inanimate objects for animals in need.

As Jon read out submissions from viewers who mistook food – and worse – for the spiky mammals, the journalist failed to steady her nerves and had to cover her face as she laughed at the horrific mistakes.

Sally giggled when Jon told her about a woman who mistook a fruit loaf she had thrown away for the birds for an animal – while a man described carrying a lump of horse manure off the road after stopping traffic to save what he thought that was a hedgehog. .

In both cases, a few minutes apart, Sally lost her cool as she tried to process the hysterical stories – much to Jon’s amusement.

She begged Jon for the identity of an item a woman had wrapped in a towel overnight – and broke down when he revealed it was a fruit loaf

A few minutes later she covered her face as Jon revealed that another viewer had mistaken horse poo for a hedgehog, but carried it to the side of the road to save face after stopping traffic.

Carol Kirkwood laughed along in the second story when a hysterical Sally asked the man carrying the horse dung, “What did he do with his hands?”

Stories emerged after a woman in Cheshire carefully nursed what she thought was a stricken ‘baby hedgehog’ overnight, only to discover it was a fluffy cap (pictured)

Hospital manager Janet Kotze (pictured) said she ‘couldn’t believe what she saw’ when she made the discovery

Ms Kotze added that if people see a hedgehog in the open during the day, they should be brought to their aid as this is a sign that they are distressed (stock photo)

Sally had told the story of Janet Kotze, the manager of the Cheshire Animal Hospital, who yesterday told how a well-meaning woman had brought in a hedgehog for care, only to be told it was the top of a pom-pom.

She told that story with nothing but professionalism, but when Jon started reading the submissions of others who had made similar mistakes, the mask slipped.

One viewer called Sue wrote her story about what she thought was a hedgehog that lay quietly in her garden all day. Later that evening, she wrapped it in a towel and carefully took it inside to dry it without examining it further.

As Sally starts giggling and begging to know what the item is, Jon continues to tell the story – covering her face and pulling her face up in giggles.

“What’s wrong, Jon?” she asks with a spike in her voice, as he replies, “It’s a fruit loaf,” sending her into another fit of laughter.

Sue admitted throwing a loaf of fruit into the garden for the birds to peck at – before forgetting she had done so when she went outside to inspect the ‘spiky’ shape the animals had acquired as they fed on it .

“I can be a little sloppy sometimes,” Sue’s message read, prompting Jon to add, “You’re telling me, Sue.”

“I don’t think anyone will send us a better one than this,” Sally said.

But the Strictly Christmas special star was proven wrong minutes later by viewer Theresa, who shared another, even more embarrassing story.

She said her husband had stopped a traffic jam on a rural road while driving home from work after seeing a hedgehog on the road, but as he got closer she realized it was a pile of horse dung.

‘He was too embarrassed because everyone was looking at him, so he carefully picked up the horse dung and put it over the hedge. All the drivers started clapping for him, thinking he’d saved a hedgehog,” Jon said, as Sally burst out laughing. again.

“What did he do with his hands then?” she asked between giggles, as weather forecaster Carol Kirkwood waved her hands in mock horror.

“This brings the nation together,” Jon joked.

The entries came after Janet Kotze, manager of the Lower Moss Wood Nature Reserve & Wildlife Hospital in Knutsford, was dropped by a well-meaning local who mistook the top of a pom-pom hat for a helpless hedgehog.

It had been delivered in a box carefully lined with newspaper and pet food, but was then hastily removed when the error was noticed.

Mrs. Kotze recalled, “She was very sweet, bless her, her heart was in the right place.

‘She took the box from me and left quite quickly.

‘I thought it was funny afterwards, but I couldn’t quite believe what I saw, because to me a hedgehog is clearly a hedgehog.

“I don’t think she’ll make the same mistake again, I think she’ll check it next time.”

But Ms Kotze added that if people see a hedgehog in the open during the day, they should be brought to their aid as this is a sign that they are distressed.

Janet said: ‘It’s a golden rule that hedgehogs shouldn’t be out during the day, especially such small ones, but she absolutely did the right thing – apart from the fact it wasn’t a hedgehog.

“If they are discovered in the open during the day, something is definitely wrong and they need to be rescued.”