“EXCITING” film footage of an otter on the River Rother between Petersfield and Rogate is the first time otters have been seen on the river for years.

A South Downs National Park Authority (SDNPA) spokesman said: “Our rangers are very excited about the footage, which was filmed at a ‘camera trap,’ and they are confident that the otter is probably now resident here

“This is the first time an otter has been recorded at this particular site in many years.”

Volunteers first noticed otter prints on a mink raft, on which a camera was mounted to monitor whether American mink, which threatens native wildlife, was at large in the area.

When a solitary otter was captured on a camera trap in September 2015 it was the first confirmed evidence of otters on the upper Rother since 2001.

Since then, SDNPA rangers and volunteers have been gradually finding more evidence, such as droppings, of otter on the river.

Further footage captured in May 2017 showed two animals together for the first time and left rangers optimistic that the animals would making a determined return to the area.

The specific location of any of the otter sightings is not being revealed.