Animal

Pilot stops plane to let baby hedgehog cross the runway


Hedgehog alert (Picture: Rex)

A kindhearted pilot took evasive action after noticing a baby hedgehog on the runway as they prepared for take-off.

Passengers were told about the reason for the delay over the tannoy as they waited two minutes for the hoglet to cross.

The Loganair flight was taxiing to the runway in Stornoway, Lewis, when the prickly creature made an appearance.

The captain brought the Saab 340 aircraft to a halt at around 5.20pm on Thursday, during the journey to Inverness in the Highlands.

There were 30 passengers on board at the time.

Neil Hughes, Loganair’s director of flight operations, said: ‘The captain safely avoided a prickly situation for the little hedgehog, following procedure until the animal was off the tarmac.

There were 30 passengers on board at the time. (Picture: Rex)

‘Our network extends into some of Scotland’s most remote communities so there are quite a few opportunities to see animals in the wild – and we’re always conscious to disturb them as little as possible.’

Pilots operating from Stornoway regularly scan the runway for wildlife, given the rural location of the airport in the Outer Hebrides.

Passenger Roddy McLeod tweeted: ‘I was on the LM156 from Stornoway to Inverness at 5pm when the aircraft was taxiing towards the runway when all of a sudden the brakes went on like an emergency stop!

‘After a minute the captain came over the radio telling us that he was waiting on a baby hedgehog to pass.’





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