IN the sunshine recently, an American mink was spotted strolling by Sankey Valley Park before pausing and then darting away.

It was one of several sightings of a mink in the park over the years.

Now, Cheshire Wildlife Trust has shed some light on why they are a ‘serious threat’ to the ‘much-loved water voles’.

A spokesperson for the Trust said: "American mink, as well as habitat loss and damage, are a serious threat to our much-loved water voles.

“Better known as ‘Ratty’ in the children’s classic The Wind in the Willows, water voles are a vital part of river ecosystems. Their burrowing, feeding and movements help to create conditions for other animals and plants to thrive - a bit like beavers do, but on a much smaller scale.

“Once a regular sight in ditches, streams and rivers across the UK, water voles are sadly our fastest declining mammal.

“Water voles have suffered these huge declines because of habitat loss, pollution of waterways, industrialisation of agriculture, housing development and predation by American mink.”

Cheshire Wildlife Trust is currently surveying waterways for water voles, to understand the severity of their decline locally.

They continued: “The Trust is using this data to develop a water vole recovery strategy which they will use to practically help bring wildlife back to Warrington and the Cheshire region."