The elusive animals were caught on wildlife cameras at Ewhurst Park, a 925-acre former shooting estate being restored for nature and food production.

Otters have made a return at a nature restoration project in Hampshire – the first confirmed sightings in the spot for more than 70 years.

A mother otter and pup have been spotted at Ewhurst Park, a 925-acre former shooting estate bought in 2020 by environmentalist and former model, Mandy Lieu, who has set about restoring it into an “edible landscape” for nature and sustainable food production.

The team at Ewhurst said they had captured footage on wildlife cameras showing the mother and pup playing, swimming, scent marking and using bark from a fallen tree to groom their fur.