Amanda Owen often shares updates from her rural life on a Yorkshire farm with her nine children, after all, that's how she shot to fame as star of the show, Our Yorkshire Farm. She's not afraid to show the realness of working and living on a farm as well as raising her excitable brood. On Tuesday, she took to Instagram to share a plea with her 543,000 followers asking them to "watch out" this autumn as they could find surprise animals in their garden. Keep reading to discover what the busy mum said…
The post included a picture of her daughter Nancy touching a hedgehog in a basket, on the doorstep of their countryside home. Alongside the image, Amanda penned: "Watch out for these little prickly darlings. Seems to have been a good year for hedgehogs, there’s been a lot of them around. Found in and amongst what potentially could have been a bonfire. #hedgehogs #countryside #nature #farm."
Fans agreed with Amanda's notion, with one writing: "I saw lots of baby hedgehogs in the summer this year!" and another adding: "Thank you for sharing and reminding us." A third explained: "We have four that visit our garden, I've put a wildlife camera out and it's a joy to see what they are up to in the night."
The RSPA website explains what people should do to prevent hedgehogs from coming to harm on bonfire night. "The best way to protect hedgehogs and other wildlife is to build your bonfire on the day, just before you light it. If you can’t, then always check your bonfires before you light them, moving the whole bonfire, if possible, as hedgehogs could be nesting or hiding inside. If you find an injured hedgehog, take it to your nearest vet," it reads.
Amanda's renovation project
As well as rescuing animals, Amanda will be busy with her renovation at Anty John's, a derelict farmhouse that the family has painstakingly restored. The property is still a work in progress and speaking to HELLO!, Amanda revealed that the children are heavily involved, too. "They've been doing some plaster boarding and tidying up some scrap metal and putting it on a trailer. I left them with four bathroom catalogues [the other day], to see if they could find a Belfast sink that would fit in the space," Amanda told us in September.
The project is also spearheaded by Amanda's ex, Clive, and so they are still very much involved in each other's lives despite separating in 2022. She clarified to us that although it may be unconventional to some, it's what works for them. "It's my day-to-day life, and that is our situation, and you just have to make it work. Anyone who comes here and sees us and sort of how we are is perfectly at ease with it." But it's not always plain sailing, of course. "What am I supposed to say, 'We get on like a house on fire?' Well, if we did, we wouldn't want to separate, would we?" she said. "He's still the same annoying old Clive that he always was. I've seen him just now, and he's still annoying - I annoy him, and he annoys me."