FOURTEEN dormice were recorded this month as part of an ongoing survey by South West Lakes Trust at Roadford Lake.

Since the survey started in 2004, 100 boxes have been in place in the woodland at Roadford by licensed dormouse handler Paul Gregory.

Checks of the boxes across three study sites are made in May and September as part of the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme.

During the September survey, in which several South West Lakes Trust volunteers assisted, the 14 dormice recorded including a family of eight — one adult female and a mixture of male and female juveniles. Each box is checked for nesting material and dormice are sexed and weighed before being returned to the box. Not every box contained something and some contained old bird nests, one had a wood mouse and one a pygmy shrew.

Lisa Tame, conservation manager of the South West Lakes Trust, said: 'We are pleased to see that Roadford Lake continues to have a healthy dormouse population. The trust intends to continue the ongoing monitoring and will maintain the dormouse nest boxes for future years.'