So once it was quite dark, I set off back to the allotment for one last desperate search for my missing diamond. The black light I had ordered had arrived earlier in the day and I was interested to see how the allotment would look in the torch. I quickly discovered that whilst the black light was very good at picking out shiny surfaces - every single drop of water, every smooth rock face and even little bits of rubbish. By the time I was halfway up the back path, I was beginning to lose hope.

An hour after starting, I called it a day. I have spent hours and hours combing the site for the stone with no luck. Dejected, I began to walk back towards my plot when something orange flashed in the light of the torch. It was big and had a strange texture to the fluorescence. I was absolutely certain I hadn't seen this on the way up so I stopped to investigate. To my surprise, it was a medium sized hedgehog, clearly unhappy with the sudden appearance of a giant on its nightly walk. As I crouched down, it slowly and suspiciously stared at me before deciding to shuffle off under the hedge.

Nature is truly spectacular and there is always something new to discover. Who knew that hedgehogs spikes have fluorescent properties?

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