Nest box installed to give peregrine falcons home

The box on the All Saints Church tower was installed by Loughborough Peregrine Project and Raptor Aid

A peregrine falcon nest box has been installed in the "highest point" of a Leicestershire town centre.

The platform was placed on top of the tower of All Saints Church, in Loughborough, on Thursday.

The site was chosen after Andy Clarke, from Loughborough Peregrine Project, saw the birds were using the tower as a place to eat their prey.

It was hoped the new box would encourage the birds to nest in the area.

Andy Clarke, 43, has spent two years looking for a location and organising the nest box

While regular visitors, the birds have not been seen breeding in the town centre before.

If the box helps and chicks are born, a live camera feed will be used to educate people on the birds of prey.

Mr Clarke said: "This is the highest point in the town area, it's a perfect location looking out across the meadows where the hunting grounds will be.

"We haven't got another nesting box in Loughborough, and there's great excitement about this one amongst bird lovers."

If it works, the first chicks could arrive in spring this year - and Mr Clarke is optimistic it will happen.

He said: "They're the Formula 1 of birds. So if we can get people interested because of the peregrines, and then they start expanding out and learning about more birds, that's only good news."

Peregrine falcons are a protected species in the UK and have thrived in urban areas

Peregrine falcons are a protected species in the UK and rated green on the birds of conservation concern list, according to the Wildlife Trust.

The trust said: "Peregrines nesting in urban areas, on buildings, is becoming increasingly common.

"Unlike other birds of prey such as ospreys, peregrines do not bring in material to build a nest to protect the eggs."