BATS at Roadford Reservoir can nest in more comfort from this week, thanks to an upgrade in their living accommodation.

The Devon Bat Group, South West Lakes Trust and South West Water have swooped to replace more than 80 bat boxes situated in five of the woodlands around Roadford Lake.

This is the 21st year the bat box scheme has been in operation at the reservoir.

With many of the boxes coming to the end of their 'shelf life', their replacement was essential to maintain roosting sites for the bats, which are protected under UK and European Law.

South West Water and South West Lakes Trust funded the new boxes and the last 18 were erected in the Goodacre woodland in September, during the first of the Devon Bat Group's annual box checks.

The bat box scheme is one of the largest, and longest monitored, schemes in the South West, with more than 200 boxes installed as part of a mitigation scheme when the reservoir was built.

Bats using the boxes include the Brown long-eared, Noctule's, Daubenton's, Natterer's and Common and Soprano Pipistrelle bats.

Lisa Tame, South West Lakes Trust's conservation manager, said: 'The woodlands at Roadford Lake provide an important habitat to a variety of species of bat and the water itself attracts thousands of insects, providing a great feeding ground.

'The Daubenton's bat makes use of the large water body by skimming over the top of the water to feed on water insects.

'It is very pleasing to know that the hard work is paying off already with new boxes being used, and we look forward to follow-up surveys in future years.'

Paul McNie, South West Water's principal environmental scientist, added: 'This has been a brilliant collaboration, with many of those involved having the opportunity to see some of our smallest and least observed mammals at close quarters, with expert guidance from the Devon Bat Group members.'

Helen Shaw of Devon Bat Group thanked South West Water and South West Lakes Trust for supporting the DBG in the project.

She said: 'The continued success of this scheme has already been demonstrated, with some of the new Chapman boxes, only installed in August this year, already being used by Pipistrelles and Brown long-eared bats.'