A heartwarming homecoming has continued on the Wey as Ratty has made a return to the riverbank between two West Surrey villages.

The ongoing bid to reintroduce water voles into the Wey has continued with the release of 300 into the main reaches of the river between Frensham and Elstead.

The move follows previous summer releases on the upper River Wey between Froyle and Farnham with the project now moving downstream.

The latest release is part of an ongoing collaborative programme and catchment-wide reintroduction strategy led by the National Trust and River Wey Trust and funded by the Environment Agency.

Thundry Meadows, the Hampton estate, Pierrepont Farm and Weyburn Meadows were among the ten different sites where releases took place early this month.

FH Water Vole Release National Trust
Come on in, the water's lovely: A water vole preparing to make the great leap between Frensham and Elstead. (Edwin Brooks)

The water voles were raised by Derek Gow Consultancy in Cornwall and introduced in more than 100 soft-release pens, before venturing into the wild at their own pace.

David Elliott, National Trust Lead Ranger for South Downs West, said the project wouldn’t have been possible without the help, support and generosity of “so many wonderful organisations and people.”

He said: “Nature wins when we work together.

“It’s so encouraging to see water voles returning after all this time, they have been locally extinct for decades.

“The return of this enchanting species adds a missing piece to this jigsaw.”

Water voles are a cornerstone species in wetland habitats but have been extinct in Surrey since the early 2000s.

Their return will be good news for kingfishers, martins, eels, frogs, tour and other species which depend on healthy wetland habitats.

The grazing carried out by ravenous water voles – they eat almost their own 300g bodyweight every day – creates biodiversity and opens up space for native wildflowers, boosting pollinating insects and feeders.

National Trust Surrey Wildlife Trust water vole release
National Trust and Surrey Wildlife Trust figures are all smiles at a recent release. (Hannah Elliott)

James Herd, Director of Reserves Management at Surrey Wildlife Trust which oversees Thundry Meadows, hailed the “right and proper” return of Ratty and hopes more native species will be reintroduced in years ahead.

“We’re really pleased to be part of this exciting water vole release project,” said Helena Darragh, Head of Conservation at the Countryside Regeneration Trust.

“Given the lack of remnant populations in this part of the UK, it’s fantastic to be a part of this reintroduction effort at Pierrepont Farm and the wider catchment.

“We hope this project will help establish a thriving population once again and bring this much-loved species back to the Surrey landscape.”

Marie-Anne Phillips, Estates and Community Officer for The Land Trust, said each water vole released is a triumph in positive partnership.

She added: “It’s fantastic for The Trust and our managing partner Blackwater Valley Countryside to share in the long-term, hard work undertaken by so many over several years with the aim of witnessing water voles return to the River Wey.”

Early signs indicate the first two stages of water vole releases on the upper River Wey have been successful with field surveys show feeding signs, burrows and latrines, while wildlife cameras and e-DNA water testing have confirmed they are thriving.