Water Vole numbers in Cumbria are falling

Best known as "Ratty" in the Wind in the Willows, the mammal is declining faster than any other in Britain.

The Cumbria Water Vole Project is a partnership between Cumbria Wildlife Trust and Eden Rivers Trust.

It is aiming to conserve remaining populations and raise awareness of how the mammal is affected by agriculture and the introduction of American mink.

Over the past decade, the species has declined so much that it is now on the brink of extinction in Cumbria.

Recent surveys reveal the native mammal has declined by up to 96% in the north-west of England.

Conservationists say Cumbria's waterways should encourage a thriving population of water voles.

Steps are now being taken to discover to what extent water voles still exist in Cumbria.