Police Officers in Doncaster are dedicated to preventing wildlife crime across the borough.

In Bentley, they have gone one-step further to help encourage birds of prey that are endangered across the country to nest in the area and discourage the persecution of them.

Officers from the Bentley Safer Neighbourhood Team have been working in partnership with the Raptor Persecution Enforcement Group, to help increase the available nesting sites for birds of prey in the area and encourage the birds to nest in Doncaster.

PC Amanda Clayton, the Wildlife Crime Officer for Bentley worked with local farmers and landowners to set up the project to encourage these birds, particularly barn owls to nest in the area by installing nesting boxes at suitable sites.

Alan Booth, from Tilts Hills Farm at Bentley, installed a nest box in one of his farms and this year a barn owl has nested in the box and successfully raised one chick.

He said: “I am part of a scheme with other local landowners and the local safer neighbourhood team to encourage all types of wildlife to nest in the area. Over the last three years, we have worked hard to create an ecological environment where birds, especially the barn owl and grey partridge can flourish.”

PC Amanda Clayton said: “I am really happy that this project has been successful. We work hard to crack down on wildlife crime and poaching and will continue to do this in the future to make the countryside a safer place for everybody to enjoy.”

David Hazard from the British Trust for Ornithology (bto) said: “It’s really good news for the barn owls and a nice reward for the farmers who encourage the right environmental conditions on their land for these beautiful birds to breed.”