Staff from the National Trust for Scotland will be joined by members of the Lothian Bat Group on Thursday 6 August to check Newhailes in Musselburgh and its surrounding buildings for roosting bats.

With building work essential at many Trust properties, the check forms part of a wider identification programme to make sure future maintenance works do not damage or disturb the dwellings.

While the bat species Pipistrelle soprano and Pipistrelle bandit are known to exist in the grounds, other species may be found during the course of the check.

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It is not currently known how many roosts exist at Newhailes. As both bats and their roosts are protected by law, the conservation charity is taking extra care to find out exactly where the roosts are situated so that they can be protected when work does get underway.

Lindsay Mackinlay, Nature Conservation Adviser for the National Trust for Scotland, said: "Bats are a very misunderstood species that really need our help if we are to enjoy watching them fly around our skies at dusk in the future. The Trust is fully committed to their conservation and this work forms part of that commitment.

"Like much of our work, we couldn’t do it without the help of our staff and many volunteers. It is rewarding work and it’s for a good cause because if we know where the bat roosts are, we can ensure we don’t damage them when we need to carry out essential building work."

(GK/KMcA)