Everyone is welcome to attend a public drop-in session in Ottery St Mary to hear what the next steps will be for the town’s local wild beavers.

The drop-in event is being held on Friday 6 February between 3pm and 7.30pm, at The Institute in Ottery St Mary.

A small population of beavers is living on the River Otter close to the East Devon town of Ottery St Mary.

The animals recently made national news headlines when Natural England decided to grant Devon Wildlife Trust with a licence which would allow the animals to live on the river while the charity monitored their impacts on the local community, landscape and economy.

The River Otter Beaver Trial, as it is known, will last for the next five years.

Representatives from Natural England will be at the drop-in session to discuss the temporary removal of the beavers which is being planned to ensure that they are healthy.

Devon Wildlife Trust staff will also be on hand to discuss how the River Otter Beaver Trial will work over the coming years.

Devon Wildlife Trust’s Peter Burgess said: "It is very good news that we have been granted a licence to release the beavers back on the river once they have been proven to be healthy. Natural England and Devon Wildlife Trust are hosting this meeting to answer any questions the local community may have about the next steps of the project."

The Institute can be found in Ottery Street, Ottery St Mary, Devon, EX11 1HD. Parking at the Institute is very limited, but there are public car parks nearby.