Terry Pratchett is passionate about protecting Britain’s wildlife and warned that it is in serious decline yesterday as he launched an appeal to fund a new multi-million pound animal hospital.

He spoke out in an effort to inspire nature-lovers to look after endangered creatures such as the hedgehog and the sparrow. He backed a campaign to build a new £4.4million wildlife teaching hospital – which would include an education centre to train young vets and launched the appeal at Secret World Wildlife Rescue Centre, in East Huntspill, Somerset – the site of the proposed hospital.