A worried animal-lover had spotted it alone, unmoving and curled tightly into a ball.
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She tenderly rescued it from the cold street, carefully placing the possibly injured hoglet into a cardboard box lined with newspaper.
The woman even put a small dish of food next to the stricken critter to tempt it to snuffle out its little nose for a bite to eat.
The Good Samaritan lovingly nursed the poorly patient overnight.
But when it still had not moved by morning, she rushed it to Lower Moss Wood Wildlife Hospital in Knutsford, Cheshire.
Manager Janet Kotze carefully opened the box on Thursday, but was shocked to find a bobble off a winter hat.
The mortified woman said “You’re joking” before quickly heading home with the box, and bobble, under her arm.
Janet said: “The lady said she had found this baby hedgehog on the pavement and it was cold and she picked it up.
“I was alarmed as it’s very early for baby hedgehogs.
“I opened the box and couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing.
“She was very embarrassed.
“She was very sweet, bless her.
“Her heart was in the right place.”