AN endangered species is being offered a new place to live by countryside rangers on two Wyre Forest nature reserves.

They are creating homes for bats in a bid to preserve numbers in the district by putting up bat boxes at Blake Marsh, off Habberley Road and at Hurcott Pools and Wood.

There are more than a dozen species of bats in Britain but they are becoming increasingly rare because of changes to their habitat.

Boxes were put up at Blake Marsh this week and rangers are recording the different species that live in and around the reserve.

Students from Stourport Pupil Referral Unit joined rangers on Tuesday at the Hurcott reserve for a bat day when they will be learning about the value of bats and help decide where bat boxes should be located.

Later in the day, locals had the chance to find out more about the new bat homes and have the chance to meet their prospective new neighbours.

District councillor Nathan Desmond, cabinet member for community and leisure services, said: "Bats and their roosts are protected by law because their numbers have been in decline and some are threatened or endangered.

"The council hopes by putting up bat boxes and monitoring species their presence in the Wyre Forest district will continue."