CHILDREN were given a unique way to spend their half-term last week by constructing bat boxes to be used as homes for the unusual garden visitor.

At the Holywell Orchard in Cam, children were given the opportunity to make the houses to encourage the flying mammals to visit people’s gardens.

The young nature-lovers also found out a lot more about the creepy critters from expert and Stroud Valleys Project officer Nadine Smykatz-Kloss.

Stroud Valleys Project, who organised the free event, aims to support people in improving their local environment for the benefit of the whole community.

Chief executive of the project, Clare Mahdiyone, said it was just one part of what they are trying to do with the Stroud District Council-owned orchard on Maple Close.

"Over the next six months we are working on the site with volunteers," she said.

"Already we have improved footsteps and pathways there, we’ve put bird houses up as well as the bat boxes and we hope to put in a wildflower meadow soon as well.

"The reason why we do this is because we try to improve the habitat for wildlife and look after our green spaces."