A READER believes he may have had a rare sighting of an otter catching fish along the Bridgewater Canal.

Barry Lennox, from Grappenhall, spotted the animal while walking his dog close to the junction of the A56 and Denbury Avenue near a boat which has been permanently moored for the last two years.

A Cheshire Wildlife Trust spokesman said while otters are still rare, they have returned to many of the rivers in Cheshire.

He added: "They are very secretive by nature so are rarely seen and often their presence is unknown.

"Often the most reliable method of detecting otters is to look for their droppings – they leave these in prominent places at the water’s edge, have a sweetish scent and often contain fish bones or scales.

"Otters will readily use canals – as long as there is plenty of fish and some quiet spots where they can rest undisturbed so it is possible your reader saw an otter.

"Another possibility is the animal was a mink – mink are more abundant than otters, and frequently more active by day.

"Mink are much smaller than otters, but often mistaken for them."