Libertines rocker Pete Doherty has revealed he was forced to stay in hospital after being pricked by a hedgehog.

The singer shared pictures from his hospital bed after getting a spine stuck in his finger while out walking his dogs last week.

Doherty, 40, who is from Margate, spent three days ignoring the cut which then became infected before going to hospital in Manchester.

The rocker praised NHS staff treating his injuries at the Manchester Royal Infirmary describing the "wonderful men and women" who work in the health service as "absolute angels".

He is currently on tour with his new band, Pete Doherty and the Puta Madres, his third musical projected following success with The Libertines and Babyshambles.

Doherty is not expected to cancel any of his upcoming gigs with dates in Belfast, Dublin and Bristol over the weekend.

Fans hailed the Don't Look Back Into The Sun singer for continuing to play gigs at the end of last week following the incident while he was out walking his two Siberian huskies, Zeus and Narco.

He took to Twitter and humoured his situation sharing a photo of a hedgehog with the caption: "I felt a bit of a prick"

Doherty explained: "In a hospital bed with an infected hedgehog spike wound.

"Thank you to the wonderful men and women who work within the NHS.

"What absolute angels and a million times they deserve our respect and thanks.

"Zeus and Narco had the cute wee verminous shnuffle shuffle pig of the hedge in their gobs and I wrapped my hand in a T-shirt and freed the wee bugger and got a tiny cut.

"That was Wednesday night/Thursday morning.

"Cue three days in a van with a carefree attitude to potentially infected forefingers. Infectious new songs on the album though."

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