A PHOTOGRAPHER from the town was 'otterly' delighted to capture a rare snap on the river Mersey near Woolston Eyes this week.

The wild otter was spotted by Brian Gort in water which was once considered one of the most polluted rivers in the country.

He added: “I was sat hidden amongst the overhanging bushes at around 9.30am in the hope of getting a shot of another riverside favourite, the Kingfisher.

"In a flash I saw a different movement on the water and had to quickly swing round and change my position, but fortunately I was able to get a couple of frames off on the camera, it was all pretty fast.”

Known as the ‘River king’, otters disappeared from much of the UK’s river network during the latter part of the 20th century but Cheshire Wildlife Trust says the latest sighting shows the welcome and ongoing return of this secretive mammal to the north west.

Tom Marshall, from the trust ,said: “Sightings of otters, and especially remarkable pictures like this, are still a real treat for conservationists – and they make a welcome change from monitoring the presence of secretive species by checking for footprints or poo!

"The north west has taken great strides in delivering much healthier waterways like the Mersey, and along with the Environment Agency, we’re doing our bit to improve bankside habitats."

Visit cheshirewildlifetrust.org.uk for more information.