Lidl has removed hedgehog hutches from its stores after a hedgehog discussion group raised safety concerns about the product.

The hedgehog huts are described as a “natural shelter for hedgehogs” and are suitable as a “feeding, shelter and nesting place”.

However, a hedgehog rescue organization claims that hedgehogs could freeze to death and become trapped in the hiding places.

Lidl said the company had sold the product across Europe for several years “without any safety issues being reported.”

The hedgehog hideout is a small igloo-shaped hut with a wire frame, a layer of canvas, and a basket-weave style exterior.

A label on the product describes it as a “comfortable winter shelter” and “quiet, wind-protected dwelling.”

Andrea Cowan, who runs the Loughgall Hedgehog Rescue Centre in County Armagh, has rescued more than 500 hedgehogs in the last six years.

After the huts appeared in Lidl’s popular “central aisle” earlier this week, she expressed her concerns about the store.

In a post on the rescue organization’s Facebook page, she described the huts as “shocking death traps.”

“They serve no purpose for the hedgehogs, on the contrary, they are dangerous and unfortunately many hedgehogs have died because of them,” she claims.

“They offer no protection from the weather and in some cases the pigs have frozen to death because the moisture inside has caused their nesting material to freeze.

“Hedgehogs have repeatedly been trapped in the metal cage inside, their spines getting caught and they have starved to death.”

Lidl stated: “All products we sell comply with all EU and national regulations.”

Speaking to BBC News NI, Ms Cowan said animal welfare groups had tried to ban the sale of such products and called for stronger regulation.

“There are no laws for such products and people can produce them freely,” she said.

“We’ve seen them for sale in other stores before and usually they take them off sale once we explain our concerns to management.”

BBC News NI asked Lidl for a comment on the statements in the Facebook post.

A spokesman for Lidl in Northern Ireland said the company recently launched the product in 41 stores in Northern Ireland.

In a statement, it said the product had “been sold in Lidl stores across Europe for several years and has proven extremely popular with customers, with no reports of safety concerns.”

“Lidl takes animal welfare extremely seriously and all products we sell comply with all EU and national regulations. Before being offered by Lidl in any of its stores, this particular product underwent rigorous SGS testing to ensure that all quality and compliance standards were met.

“However, we take all feedback and concerns about the products sold in our stores seriously, including feedback about this product from a local hedgehog rescue organisation. As a precautionary measure, we have removed the product from our stores in Northern Ireland this afternoon while we continue to seek expert advice on the matter.”