Tunnel of love is dormice cupid

The tunnel allows the colony to mix with other dormice

A tunnel of love has been created by telephone engineers to boost breeding in a colony of dormice.

Staff built the 25yd (about 20m) tunnel across a quarry road in Cheddar, Somerset, after the animals became trapped in one colony.

The structure - 32ft (about 10m) above the road - is made from wire mesh and lined with twigs and moss.

The dormice can travel safely across the road in near natural surroundings to reach different colonies of dormice.

Wildlife expert Gem Stansfield said: "If they were unable to mix with other dormice they could die out as the gene pool would have been too small.

"It is vital they have access to different dormice and the tunnel should be the answer."

Dean Jefferies, manager with Openreach - part of BT, said: "This was one of the strangest and most challenging projects I have ever undertaken.

"We had to drill through granite to ensure the structure was safe and secure - but it was worth all the hard work to help ensure the future of the quarry dormice."