These adorable abandoned badger cubs have been nursed back to health by a kind-hearted animal lover on a diet of custard creams . The orphaned youngsters - one of which escaped death after being carried away in a Jack Russell 's mouth - are doing better than ever after they were taken in by retired farmer Pauline Kidner . Nursed originally on milk form bottles custard creams were introduced into their diet slowly to see whether the cubs were ready for food . Scroll down for video . The orphaned youngsters - one of which escaped death after being carried by a dog - are doing better . Nursed originally on milk , custard creams were introduced to see whether the cubs were ready for food . 'They were very very tiny , we start them off giving them milk with a teat on syringe , ' Pauline said . The first of the badger cubs , named Little Star , was half the weight of an apple when it arrived at the Secret World centre , but Pauline , who runs charity Secret World , says they 're growing at an astonishing rate . The 65-year-old , from Somerset , said : 'When they came in eight weeks ago they were 80g , now they 're 1.1kg , you can almost see them growing . ' 'They were very very tiny , we start them off giving them milk with a teat on syringe , we ca n't risk any getting in their lungs , but they 're now on normal bottles . 'Little Star came from Derbyshire , she was brought into someone 's kitchen by their Jack Russell dog , it was very lucky he did n't hurt her , she 'd been born two days earlier ; her umbilical was still attached . 'The dog brought another one in , but sadly that one had been shaken , so unfortunately it died within 24 hours . Pauline explained to have two badger cubs picked up by dogs in a short space of time is unusual . 'One cub a year is brought in when dogs get down in the set , ' she said . The dog brought another one in , but sadly that one had been shaken , so it died within 24 hours . The first of the badger cubs , named Little Star , was half the weight of an apple when it arrived at centre . Jack Russels have an instinct for digging and going down holes and are traditionally used in badger baiting . However , there is no reason to suspect the illegal blood-sport was to blame for the death of this cub . 'Then we had another called Vogue come up from Cornwall , we called her that because was picked up in the village Vogue near Redruth , ' Pauline said . 'Then lastly the third came in three weeks ago , that one 's from near Cheddar in Somerset , we called him Scrumpy , because of the cider context . When they came in eight weeks ago they were 80g - carers have watched them grow to 1.1kg . They 're 12 to 16 weeks once they wean , then they might be moved on to solids by the carers . 'We 've been keeping Scrumpy separate as he 's older than the two girls . Once they start to mouth things , they start playing with each other , pulling ears , Scrumpy can get a bit rough though . ' 'They 're still on bottles now , we 've started putting in custard creams to see if they 're interested , then we might move them on to solids . 'They 're in the cubby hole in my kitchen now . ' The aim is to release the animals back into the wild once they 're strong enough . They 're all vaccinated against Bovine TB , before they reduce human contact . Pauline said : 'We 'll add another two to the group , we 'll keep them together before release in autumn . 'When they 're 12 to 16 weeks once they wean , they go down to the Millie Block , which is a separate building . 'After that they turn nocturnal , we feed them at night , then it 's on to glassed enclosures when we just throw the food over to them and get them to revert to wild . ' 'Sadly if we ca n't release them , we do have to put them to sleep , which is why we reduce human contact like that . ' After they move to their nocturnal sleep rhythm they will be put in glass enclosures and then released .
Tiny cubs from the Secret World centre nursed back to health . The orphans fed on milk and then , gradually custard creams as they grew . First cub 'Little Star ' weighed less than half an apple when she arrived .