If you don't believe it, take a walk around the outskirts of town around dusk and look skyward – chances are you'll see one or two, if your eyes are sharp enough.

A soprano pipistrelle is, of course, a bat – a close cousin to the common pipistrelle, but, as befits its choice of Ribble Valley habitat, much less common!

Recently The Wildlife Trust for Lancashire, Manchester and North Merseyside has been carrying out surveys across the region to establish the distribution of soprano pipistrelles. Using funding from the Sita Trust, volunteers have been trained to survey for bats, and have found the Clitheroe area is a definite hotspot.

Soprano pipistrelles were found at Moor Piece, Salthill Quarry and Crosshill Quarry, with a potential roost at Crosshill.

The Trust has also had reports from residents that these fabulous little bats also reside at Foxhill Bank, near Oswaldtwistle.

Sue Lonsdale, from the Wildlife Trust, said: "It is really important to establish the distribution of soprano pipistrelles, as up until recently they were believed to be the same species as their close cousin the common pipistrelle. They are amazing little bats which can live in an enormous variety of habitats, and can eat up to 3,000 midges in a night."

Data collected by the bat-spotting volunteers will be used in future habitat management decisions made about the sites.