Birds and bats have been provided with the perfect pad by big-hearted residents who created homes for them.

Up to 40 people braved the cold and created 100 boxes for various birds and pipistrelle bats at the St Ives Estate, Harden.

The move is part of a £250,000 Friends of St Ives project to enhance the beauty spot.

Friends of St Ives chairman Pam Laking said: “It was very important to create the boxes to encourage existing and visiting birds to stay at St Ives.

“They have been provided with these houses where they can breed better and the babies will have more chance of survival.

“They also have the bird hide for food, we have provided everything for birds to stay in the winter.

“We have a good bat population and we hope the boxes will help keep them and their babies alive.

“They are particularly important for bats which are quite rare and they will use the boxes in summer to protect their young from predators.”

Before they are put up around the estate, the boxes will be washed with muddy water to ensure they blend into their surrounding environment.