A wildlife charity has started an appeal for volunteers to help count and spot the signs of water voles.

It comes after more than 200 voles were reintroduced at Trentham Gardens, in Stoke-on-Trent, two years ago as part of an important recovery programme.

Populations have plummeted by 90% since the 1970s, according to the People’s Trust for Endangered Species (PTES), and now the charity is in need of “water vole watchers”.

Duncan Coleman, a wildlife ranger at Trentham Gardens, said: “Water voles are actually one of the fastest declining mammals in the UK and that’s mainly through habitat loss and also the activities of the invasive mink.”

He continued: “I think the key thing with any species in the wild is we need to know numbers, so biological recording is really important.”

From 15 April to 15 June, volunteers are being asked to visit their nearest stream, river, ditch or canal in search of water voles.