WILDLIFE charity People’s Trust for Endangered Species wants volunteers to take part in its annual Living with Mammals survey by monitoring green spaces in their area during the spring.

Anyone prepared to give a little time to record sightings of creatures like hedgehogs, foxes and squirrels and even pine martens in rural or urban locations between March 26 and June 24.

They can choose any green space to survey from a garden to an allotment, a park, or land near to work, as long as the site is within 200 metres of a building.

Then they have to visit it for a short time each week, and make a note of any sightings of mammals, or the signs they leave behind, such as droppings or footprints.

Findings can be submitted online at ptes.org/lwm, which is also home to a guide on how to spot mammals.

Surveys officer David Wembridge said: “Understanding how wildlife in our towns and cities is changing is essential in supporting our wild neighbours such as foxes, rabbits and hedgehogs. We’ve always shared our green spaces with wildlife, so by counting the number of mammals each spring, we can tell where conservation efforts are needed most."

“By identifying population trends, finding pockets where certain species are thriving or under pressure, we can ultimately encourage biodiversity around us.”