VISITORS have been flocking to a County Durham nature reserve to get a glimpse of a rare creature that is making a comeback.

The sightings of otters have happened at Low Barns, near Witton-le-Wear, which is run by the Durham Wildlife Trust, and reserve officer Craig Best said the otters are seem to have set up home on banks of the River Wear.

He said: “The reserve has now become a great place to see otters in the wild.

“Visitors to the reserve have been served up a regular viewing of otters exhibiting their natural behaviour on the banks of the River Wear and from the comfort of the West Pasture Hide.”

Durham Wildlife Trust’s Otter Project Officer Vivien Kent said: “The otter has been making a return to the North East in recent years after decades of decline.

“Having been brought close to extinction in England and Wales as a result of pollution and the use of pesticides in the 1950s, 60s and 70s, they have recovered naturally and are now present again in most English counties.

“To see an otter in the wild is a truly unforgettable experience and something to cherish.”