Take a look at the new harvest mouse houses at Llandegfedd Lake.

Welsh Water has used old tennis balls to create the little houses to protect mice from bad weather and predators. Sport clubs can now donate their old tennis balls to Welsh Water to reuse.

The lake’s ranger team has carried out the unusual approach to support the local harvest mouse population.

Visitor Experience Manager at Llandegfedd Lake, Jonathan Davies, said: “The repurposed tennis balls serve multiple purposes in this conservation effort. They provide a protective barrier against predators and bad weather. They also offer an opportunity for the mice to establish nests in areas with a lot of food but no suitable areas to nest.”

Now, the not-for-profit water company is encouraging sports clubs across Wales and Hereford to give old tennis balls a new lease of life by donating them to the project.

Jonathan added: “We’d encourage any sports or tennis clubs with old, disused tennis balls to get in touch with us, so we can recycle the balls and give these creatures a new, safe home.”