Hedgehog gets police escort

Why did the hedgehog cross the road? Because police stopped traffic to prevent it from being squashed.

Palmerston North police were faced with a prickly problem during a drink-drive blitz on Milson Line on Friday night when a hedgehog tried to cross their checkpoint.

Traffic was stopped and the animal was escorted across the road.

"His reason for crossing the road was not ascertained and he was not breath-tested," Senior Sergeant Brett Calkin said.

About 80 drivers were stopped and breath-tested at the checkpoint, with four found to be over the limit.

They included a 42-year-old woman who was almost three times the legal breath-alcohol limit, despite telling police she had had only two drinks.