THE newest beaver kit to be born on Exmoor has been named Earps in honour of the goalkeeper who has helped England reach the women’s football World Cup final.

Earps is one of three born this year on the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate between Minehead and Porlock.

The trust invited the public to vote for a name, with the final decision taken by rangers on the estate.

He became the sixth kit born in the estate’s Paddocks enclosure, while two others became the first offspring for parents Lily and Bulrush in another enclosure a few miles away at Whiteman’s Moor.

Earps’ two-year-old brother Rashford became the first beaver in 400 years to be born on Exmoor and was named after the Manchester United football player Marcus Rashford.

Last year saw the birth of twins Russo and Toone, who were also named after England women footballers.

National Trust ranger Jack Siviter said: "We decided to continue with the sporting theme for the Paddocks family due to the success of the women's football team in reaching the World Cup final.

"Over the next few months, we will be able to track the development of the youngsters and how they start to help us with our conservation work, in particular building more resilience into our landscapes to help mitigate the consequences of extreme weather."

Mr Siviter said beavers were ‘eco-engineers’ with an ability to make positive changes to the landscape around them.

They make family lodges and dams, which then creates ponds and channels which filter and slow the flow of water.

The felling of trees in the surrounding areas encourages ground flora such as marsh marigold to bloom.