The hunt is on to find polecats living in Essex.

The Essex Wildlife Trust is appealing for the public to send in their sightings of rare polecats.

The polecat is an otter or ferret like creature which bathes in lakes.

It competes with the mink for survival, the same type of creature.

The polecat is native to the UK and was once frequently sighted in Essex.

However, the species was brought close to extinction by the end of the 1800s.

In 1999 there was the first record of a true polecat in Essex for 100 years.

Earlier this year, reports from volunteer mink monitors suggested a steep decline in mink activity.

Polecat sightings then increased.

Darren Tansley, wildlife officer for Essex Wildlife Trust, said: “At present we simply do not know if it is the presence of native polecats displacing the mink invaders – this could be pure coincidence."

“But what is certain is mink in Essex have never encountered such a similar competing predator until now.”

"Because of this, Essex Wildlife Trust is particularly interested in collecting records of Polecat sightings, as this will show if there is any scientific basis to the theory."

Essex Wildlife Trust want to record all sightings of Polecats in Essex.

If you have seen a Polecat or a Ferret road casualty, then please contact Darren Tansley at darrent@essexwt.org.uk with the date and location.