THE next time you take a walk along the river in Kidderminster, keep your eyes peeled because you might just spot an otter.

Lee Bollington says he was "astonished" to see one in the River Stour when he was walking near to St Mary's Church in the town centre on Friday morning (August 2).

He said: "It was such a shock. I could not believe what I saw.

"I looked to my right and I thought it was a big water rat. It wasn't until it got out of the water I realised it was an otter.

"It was like he pulled a fish and he was digging on the bank to bury it".

The 51-year-old, who previously worked for the Scottish Wildlife Trust in Aberdeenshire, said he has "never ever seen one."

The Worcestershire Wildlife Trust said that otters have been seen regularly in the area following the reduction of industrial pollution in the waterways.

A spokesperson for the trust said: "It’s not that long ago that otters had almost become extinct in the UK, including in Worcestershire by the 1980s, as a result of pesticides in the food chain and persecution.

"However, following the banning of the worst-offending pesticides and protection of otters from hunting, otter populations bounced back.

"Otters are now back in every river in the county and are sometimes seen by lucky members of the public.

"Following the reduction of industrial pollution in waterways around Kidderminster, otters have regularly been spotted in the area.

"When the Morrisons supermarket was constructed in the 2000s, the area between the River Stour and the ring road was sensitively developed to encourage wildlife.

"Artificial otter holts were installed and otter ledges were created under the bridges so that otters could pass through when the river was in flood.

"Since then, otters have been seen in that area as well as elsewhere in and around Kidderminster".