The bats call Cardigan Castle their home

The top of Cardigan Castle's house is being shielded while its owners raise money to restore it.

Some fortunate tenants, a group of greater horseshoe bats, are making the most of the shelter, too.

With only about 1,000 of the species left in Wales, the castle is now an important roost.

Five have recently been recorded at the castle, but last summer numbers swelled to more than double that.

With Mediterranean origins, the species is only suited to the milder parts of Britain.

There are probably only about a 1,000 of these bats in Wales A Ceredigion County Council spokeswoman

The castle is the most northwesterly building in Europe used by the bats and is the only building in Ceredigion known to house them.

Cardigan Castle featured in the BBC's Restoration series last year, but failed to make the final.

It hosted the first ever National Eisteddfod in 1176, but has fallen into disrepair over the years.

A spokeswoman for owners Ceredigion Council said the castle was an important roost for greater horseshoe bats, probably the only one in the county.

She said: "Like all bat roosts, they do not live there all the time.

"At the moment I know there are five bats and the highest number in the late summer was 11, but there might have been 13 on that occasion.

"The numbers do fluctuate according the time of year and weather conditions."

Cardigan Castle dates back to the 12th Century

Scaffolding and reinforced plastic sheeting will cocoon part of the castle.

It has been designed not only to cover the building but to allow for the presence of bats.

The council consulted with the Countryside Commission for Wales and Cadw, which provided grant aid towards the work.