YORKSHIRE Wildlife Trust is calling for urgent action to help water voles after a report revealed a 30 per cent decline in places where the animals live.

The research shows a slight increase in the number of places water voles can be found in recent years thanks to conservation work by organisations like the trust, but over the past 10 years the population declined.

The much-loved British mammals, which were the model for the character Ratty in Kenneth Grahame’s Wind in the Willows, have been found in York.

The species has been seen at Clifton Ings and a colony of water voles were discovered in a culvert on York Lane, between Flaxton and Strensall, in 2010.

Persimmon Homes also built a wetland habitat for water voles to the south of its Germany Beck site in Fulford after the animals were spotted in the area in 2015.

The firm built a flood-protected raised island and restored an area to replace habitat lost through the construction of homes.

However, members of City of York planning committee meeting in January to approve the project heard that there are no water voles currently living on the development site.

Water voles live in wet moorland and along rivers, around ponds and marshland. But they are one of Britain's fastest declining species according to the Wildlife Trusts, which say urban development, water pollution and growing numbers of their predators, American mink, have all affected the population.

Work is taking place at Skerne Wetlands near Driffield to boost the water vole's fortunes and Jon Traill from Yorkshire Wildlife Trust, who is leading the project, said: “Water voles have responded well to our efforts, with surveys carried out on the Skerne site last year showing a thriving population. Such work is vital to the success of enabling them to move out into the wider countryside.

“The key to reversing this decline is reconnecting fragmented wetland habitats and restoring existing wetlands, rivers, ponds and ditches.

"We not only work on our own nature reserves, but also in partnership with other landowners, land managers and key government agencies and non-governmental organisations, aiming to provide a well-managed, connected habitat network for water voles and other wildlife.”

Wildlife experts are calling on the Government to fund conservation projects and create recovery networks.

They are also asking landowners to do their bit by creating habitats for the animals.

Ellie Brodie, senior policy manager for The Wildlife Trusts, said: “Water voles are an essential part of our wild and watery places and it’s terribly sad that we’re continuing to witness huge declines of this lovely mammal.

"The Wildlife Trusts and others are working hard to help bring them back again and care for the places that they need to survive, but much more is needed if we’re going to stop this charming creature disappearing altogether.”