Appeal for £10,000 Somerset church bat roost

The church is hoping to raise £10,000 for a new roost to house the tiny colony of lesser horseshoe bats

An appeal has been launched to raise £10,000 to rehome a colony of bats in a church in Somerset.

Since 2008, the Friends of Nunney church have raised £200,000 to replace the Grade I listed building's ceiling.

But before work can begin, more cash has to be found for a new bat roost for a small colony of protected lesser horseshoe bats living in the roof.

Parishioner David Scrutton said: "If we want to do any work to the ceiling we have to remove the bats first."

The lesser horseshoe bat (rhinolophus hipposideros) gets its name from its distinctive horseshoe-shaped nose.

The colony at the church is monitored by Natural England.