A RARE breed of bat which has not been seen in East Lancashire for over 100 years has made an unlikely return, conservationists claim.

East Lancashire Bat Group members made the discovery of a Lesser Horseshoe bat earlier this autumn and said they were thrilled to find the creature.

But the location of the bat cave is a closely guarded secret for fear other bat enthusiasts could disturb them.

Dave Anderson, a member of the bat group and keeper of natural history at Townley Hall, Burnley, said the appearance of the Lesser Horseshoe bat was remarkable.

He added: “We hope when we go back we will find more bats have returned.

"We do a lot of work throughout the year into the distribution of bats and their exact whereabouts.”

Dave and his colleagues are keeping a close eye on the new arrival, which is usually found in Wales and south west England.

The bat was found during an investigation into hibernation sites and it is thought the Lesser Horseshoe bats have been extinct in East Lancashire since the 1890s.

Dave said they were waiting for colder weather to confirm that there are others in the area when they start hibernating at the secret site.

He added: “We believe there could be a viable population in the area because Lesser Horseshoe bats do not fly very far."