WILDLIFE experts want to hear from people in the Worcester area who have spotted water voles along brooks or rivers in the district.

While improved water quality has seen the return of the otter, the water vole is still declining and predatory American mink are on the increase, despite the best efforts of conservationists.

At present there is no evidence of voles on the Rivers Severn, Teme and Salwarpe, the nearest known colonies being in the Bromsgrove district.

"If there are any sightings in the Worcester area, we would love to know about them," said Water for Wildlife officer Andy Graham, of Worcestershire Wildlife Trust.

"We could then work with Worcester City Council to develop a strategy to protect their habitat, as we are already doing in Bromsgrove, where they are living on three brooks."

He said that small brown rats were sometimes confused with water voles, but there were obvious differences.

"You can't see the ears of a water vole and it has a blunt face and a short, furry tail, whereas the rat has a sharp, pointed face, noticeable pink ears and a longer tail," he said.

Our native freshwater crayfish are also faring badly, being smaller and more delicate than the signal crayfish, a foreign invader that carries deadly crayfish plague.

"The straightening and deepening of rivers like the Severn and Avon meant that conditions were no longer suitable for our native crayfish, but they can still be found in streams in the Malvern Hills and Wyre Forest," said Mr Graham. "Unfortunately we have got signal crayfish in the River Isbourne, in the south of the county, but at the moment they are not threatening native stocks."

If you see any water voles in the Worcester district, call Worcestershire Wildlife Trust on 01905 754919.