Ratty has returned to the Ewelme watercress beds.

The endangered creature has been seen for the first time since marauding mink wiped out the previous population there three years ago.

Now the Friends of Ewelme Watercress Beds are anxious to see the new arrivals thrive.

The water vole -- which Kenneth Grahame called Ratty in his book The Wind In The Willows -- has been on the endangered species list for several years.

Friends' chairman Desmond Dix said: "We are hoping for a rapid recovery of the population at the beds.

"We're very hopeful that Ewelme will prove a haven for these lovely creatures."