WORCESTERSHIRE Wildlife Trust is urging people to give wildlife a helping hand through the winter – a hard time with natural food resources getting harder to find.

Steve Bloomfield, conservation officer for the trust, said: “The floods and heavy rain that caused problems for us weren’t too problematic for most species, as flooding is a natural occurrence during winter and much of our wildlife has adapted to cope with it.

“But plummeting temperatures and heavy snowfall, on the other hand, can cause real problems. What’s left of dwindling natural food supplies suddenly becomes harder to get to.

“Birds can’t penetrate the soil to reach worms and other invertebrates and frosts will begin to rot any berries left on trees and shrubs.

“Putting out high fat foods such as suet balls, sunflower heads and peanuts, along with seed mixes, will help.”

The trust sells seed from its headquarters at Lower Smite Farm and through local supporter groups.