'Frankenstein trees' offer safe haven for wildlife

The Woodland Trust said the "Frankenstein trees" would offer a safe perch for birds of prey

Dead trees and branches have been bolted together to make homes for wildlife.

Conservation charity the Woodland Trust said the "Frankenstein trees" were hauled from Kingsettle Wood in Dorset to Yonder Oak in Devon and placed along the flight path of barn owls, sparrowhawks and kestrels.

They said the deadwood would offer a safe perch for the "magnificent" birds of prey.

Sam Hamer, the charity's site manager, said: "By bolting on extra branches from other dead trees and then slashing them with chainsaws to create nooks and crannies, we are encouraging birds, bats, beetles, fungi and many more creatures and organisms to make their homes here."

Deadwood offers a safe perch for birds of prey

Mr Hamer said: "Deadwood creates habitat for wildlife, and standing deadwood like this is even more special, because it is drier than most deadwood and has become rare in British woodlands.

"We hope that when the tree saplings we've planted at Yonder Oak are fully grown trees, there will already be a healthy ecosystem around them to help the woodland thrive."

The charity said the work had been made possible with funding from Screwfix, which contributed £100,000 to Kingsettle Wood over the past two years.

Matt Compton, Screwfix commercial director said, "We're delighted that our funding for ancient woodland restoration has supported the installation of the 'Frankenstein Trees' - creating sustainable, natural solutions to a biodiversity challenge."