Police want to hear from anyone with information after a number of bat boxes were stolen in Church Crookham.

Between April and October five purpose built wooden bat boxes were stolen from tress along the Basingstoke Canal near to Zebon Copse.

PC Stacy Beale, of the Hart Safer Neighbourhoods Team, said: “The boxes would have been around four metres from the ground so whoever has taken them would have needed to use a ladder.

“They were home to brown long eared bats and pipistrelle bats which are both protected species in the UK.

“It is an offence to damage or destroy a bat roost and we would ask anyone with information to contact us as soon as possible.”