Since the McFlurry arrived, hundreds of hedgehogs have nosed their way into dumped cartons but, after licking the sticky remnants, found themselves trapped inside.

This has caused starvation and dehydration over long periods for those creatures not lucky enough to be rescued.

McDonald's says that the wide-mouthed opening in the lid of the McFlurry containers will be reduced in size, making them too small for the popular creatures to get their heads into.

Fay Vass, chief executive of the British Hedgehog Preservation Society, said: "This is excellent, it is long overdue news, We have been in touch with McDonald’s about this problem for over five years and are delighted that they have at last solved the problem."

"We have had hundreds of calls about this in the last six years."

"They are left open to predators and will, if not found, suffer a slow death through starvation and dehydration."

The key problem was the lip of the carton which prevented the hedgehogs reversing out because of their spikes.

On their battle to win the design change, she said: "McDonald's never dismissed us. It took so long which was frustrating."

McDonald’s said the design change came after pressure from the society which prompted “significant research and design testing” to develop new packaging.

"The smaller aperture of the lid has been designed to prevent hedgehogs from entering the McFlurry container in the unfortunate incidence that a lid is littered and is then accessible to wildlife."

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