THE water vole was once a familiar sight across Britain but numbers started to decline rapidly in the 1960s and today it is the fastest declining mammal in the UK .

But in the Cotswold Water Park, the national trend of the decline of the water vole is being bucked and numbers of the cute creatures are increasing thanks to the work of the Cotswold Water Park Trust.

Last week, reporter Brendan McFadden joined Ben Welbourn, the Trust’s biodiversity and estates manager, at the Riverside Park, Lechlade to find out how the charity’s Cotswold Water Park Water Vole Recovery Project has been helping save the mammal.

The project, which was set up by the Trust's Gareth Harris in 2002, focuses on surveying the extent of Water Vole populations in the Water Park, and eradicating the American mink, which feeds on the water vole.

Whilst examining the area Ben showed me a mink raft, which was placed in a side channel of the River Thames, a wooden raft that is used to establish whether there are any American Mink in the area.

Ben explained that trays full of clay, known as clay pads are placed in the rafts and if mink footprints are found on the pads then mink traps are left inside the rafts to catch the animal, before they are then disposed of.

Ben said he believes that American mink and over shading of the riverbanks planting of overgrown trees by landowners over the past few decades has made many river banks unfavourable for the water vole and contributed to its decline.

Ben said that whilst there are other schemes working to save the water vole across the country, few use mink control techniques and that is why the numbers of the mammal in the Water Park are on the increase.

He said: “It is down to the fact that we are backing up our habitat work with mink control.

“I would like to see less funding for water vole projects which do not include mink control because there is only a finite amount of money available and it is a shame to see it being wasted.”

He added that the Trust’s water vole project, which has been running since 2002, would not be possible without funding which has come from national grant funds, as well as companies in the area such as the Hills Group.

Although we were unable to spot any water voles whilst examining the side channel, we were able to spots evidence that they had recently been there on its banks such as water vole droppings and I left the park feeling refreshed to see such a lovely creature is seeing a resurgence in the Water Park.

To find out more about the project contact the Trust on 01793 752413.