The otter population was on the decline in the 1960s

They will be helping to build a new home for them, in the shape of a dry stone otter holt.

The otter holt will be situated close to the Aquarium of the Lakes at Windermere, where signs of wild otters have been found.

The aquarium is involved with the scheme, with Cumbria Wildlife Trust Mammal, and a researcher from the Furness area who has been surveying the south Cumbrian otter population for the past five years.

This latest holt is part of a project to provide permanent homes for otters in the region.

Dry stone otter holts have not been built in the area since the 1960s and now there are plans to construct at least three more.

By the mid 1950s to 1960s, the UK's once-thriving population had been reduced to remnant populations in the South West, East Anglia, parts of Wales and Scotland.

It suffered serious decline throughout Europe in the 1960s, primarily following the widespread use of toxic pesticides.