Rare species of moss are being stolen from the wild for use in Christmas wreaths, countryside campaigners say.

One of the main areas being raided is the peak district in Derbyshire, where rare varieties grow on limestone rock.

Ben le Bas, from English Nature, said: "We are finding that more and more people, particularly commercial set-ups, are actually taking huge amounts of moss to make into wreaths or hanging baskets.

"Uprooting a moss takes the whole plant away and it takes years and years and years for that moss to grow back.

Moss is a feature of many wreaths

"People don't actually know what they are taking and they could be taking mega rare species.

"We've got one species in Derbyshire, called the Derbyshire Feather Moss, which grows nowhere else in the world."

The first prosecution for stealing moss was brought by Derbyshire police in 1993.

The defendant admitted stealing 26 sack loads and it has taken nine years for the moss to grow back.

English Nature advised people check the origin of mosses before buying wreaths.