Hartlepool wildlife lovers can spot bats and owls before tucking into marshmallows

The RSPB’s Big Wild Sleepout will be held all over the country from July 29 to July 31 and Saltholme, near Hartlepool, is joining in.

A family-friendly Big Wild Night Out will be held there on Saturday, July 30, from 7.30pm to 10.30pm.

Staff will guide people around the reserve on a twilight tour to try and spot bats, owls, moths, and foxes. When the walk is finished, visitors can enjoy hot chocolate and toasting marshmallows under the night sky.

Advanced booking is essential for the event and it costs £12 per adult and £7 per child for non-members, or £10 per adult, and £5 per child for members.

For more details, contact Saltholme by emailing [email protected] or calling (01642) 546625.

The RSPB is also urging North East people to hold their own sleep out in their gardens to get close to nature and discover which creatures they share their homes with.

People can sign up for a Big Wild Sleepout pack and register to take part at www.rspb.org.uk/sleepout.

Those who join in will be invited to let the RSPB know once they’ve taken part and to share their experiences on the website and on social media using #BigWildSleepout.

Big Wild Sleepout is part of the RSPB’s Giving Nature a Home campaign, which aims to help the UK’s threatened wildlife.

The charity is asking people to provide a place for wildlife in their own gardens and outside spaces – by planting pollen-rich plants to attract bees and butterflies, putting up a nestbox for a house sparrow, or creating a pond for a number of different species.