BIRD and bat boxes have been installed at a Wymondham nature reserve to celebrate national nest box week. This year's annual event is launched today by the British Trust for Ornithology.

BIRD and bat boxes have been installed at a Wymondham nature reserve to celebrate national nest box week.

This year's annual event is launched today by the British Trust for Ornithology.

The scheme was instigated in 1997 because many natural nest sites that wild birds depend on, such as holes in trees

and buildings, have disappeared. And Ann Roberts, warden at the Tolls Meadow reserve, and her team of volunteers made sure their boxes were put up in good time.

She said: “Although Tolls Meadow is a fen or water meadow, it has a corner of woodland adjacent to Wymondham town's cemetery. The cemetery has hundreds of mature trees so together this provides a good habitat for nesting birds and roosting bats.

“Volunteers worked hard to put up the boxes on a frosty, foggy morning this week. This is the first time this site has had nesting boxes, so I hope the birds will soon find shelter out of the cold. We also have five species of bats on and around the reserve so it is hoped the bat boxes will also become inhabited.”

The boxes were provided by Wymondham Arts Forum, as part of the Tiffey Trails project supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and other funders.