DORMICE in Exmoor's woodlands appear to be on the increase thanks to 100 especially designed wooden nest boxes.

Local experts Cecil Owen and Tina Catley have been monitoring the population of dormice for the past three years and have witnessed a significant increase in the use of the boxes.

The Exmoor National Park Authority has provided 50 of the boxes to help with the conservation of this rare mammal.

National park ecologist Dave Boyce said: "We are delighted that the boxes have been such a success.

"Of course, this is only part of the story. We are also working closely with landowners to encourage management of hazel coppice, a favourite habitat of the dormouse.

"It appears that dormice are reasonably widespread o Exmoor in contrast to the picture nationally, but we still need further information to verify this."

David appealed to landowners to report of any sighting of dormice - the clearest clue is a distinctive neat hole in a hazel nut.

This will help the authority find more about the distribution of dormice on Exmoor.