Meet the man who rescues squirrels - including one he now goes everywhere with.

Mehmet Onal, 58, rescued an injured baby squirrel four years ago and nursed it back to health in a churchyard in Hailsham, Sussex.

But when he went to set it free, the squirrel kept trying to follow him home.

Mehmet decided to keep him as a pet and name him Alvin - and since then the pair have been best friends.

Together they can be spotted strolling around at the town's shopping centre.

The kebab shop owner has now also rescued another two squirrels - Simon and Eleanor.

On social social media platforms such as TikTok Mehmet has gained over 10 thousand followers - by sharing videos playing with the squirrels and nursing them.

About Alvin, Mehmet said: "He didn't change my life. I always say I didn't rescue him he rescued him."

"I always believe that Alvin is a special gift. I was in a very bad place. He made me smile again."

Mehmet found the baby squirrel with a broken leg in a churchyard in 2021.

When an animal rescue couldn't help, Mehmet decided to nurse him back to health himself.

He said: "I take him to the vet and she said that by law they had to put them down."

But for eight weeks Mehmet nursed Alvin back to health while he was injured - even given him hydrotherapy.

When Alvin was well again, Mehmet took him back to the churchyard to set him free, but the baby squirrel kept coming back to him.

"He came running at me like a bullet," he said."

"It was emotional. The way he came to him. He didn't want to go."

He said that when he met Alvin he was in a "bad place" as he had just lost his dad."

He said: "I always believe that Alvin is a special gift. I was in a very bad place. He made me smile again."

The pair have been best friends ever since and have been a familiar sight in town.

Mehmet even takes him to the shopping centre - where people all take pictures with Alvin.

He said: "But some people call him a vermin because he is a grey squirrel. He is my boy. I start crying. "

"I am a very emotional person. He is no vermin."

Mehmet says that Alvin is a lover of custard creams and Oreos.

And everyday morning he wants sliced tomatoes with pitta bread.

He added: "He loves custard creams. But when he gets to the cream he doesn't eat it."

Alvin recently celebrated his birthday with an acorn cake.

Mehmet said: "It is unconditional love. "

"It is loyalty and respect between us."

The advice from RSPCA is if you find a sick animal you have to take it to a vet.