Parents in the United Kingdom have expressed horror after discovering that paper hedgehogs, given to children by an elderly couple in supermarket stores, were crafted from pages of an explicit erotic novel. The gifts, presented as handmade items from old books, were distributed in Tesco and Morrisons locations.
One parent, Linda Fortune, recounted an incident where her daughter and four-year-old granddaughter were approached by a man and woman, believed to be in their late 60s, while shopping. The couple offered the child a paper hedgehog. Upon closer inspection, Fortune stated that the pages used contained "pure sexual stuff." She was later contacted by seven other families who reported similar encounters.
Another mother, identified as Jemma, received a hedgehog for her 10-year-old daughter from an elderly man who said he made them as a hobby. While initially viewing it as a kind gesture, she became concerned after seeing a warning online. She discovered that the pages contained references to sexual acts and a disturbing mention of a murdered sister. Jemma removed the item from her daughter's room, expressing relief that her child had not read the content.
The paper animals were reportedly made from pages of "The Fermata," a 1994 erotic novel by Nicholson Baker known for its graphic depictions.
One of the hedgehogs was given to Merseyside Police. A police spokesperson stated that they had spoken with the individual involved and determined that "no malice involved and no offenses have been committed." The statement indicated that the hedgehogs were created in good faith and had been used to raise money for a local charity.
A third mother, Nicola, described an encounter at a supermarket self-checkout where an older man offered her two-year-old son a hedgehog. She accepted the gift to be polite but later discarded it, finding the interaction "odd."