THE Ribble Valley could provide a home to a creature that was hunted to near extinction 400 years ago.

A conservation body which advises the government has recommended re-introducing beavers into the wild in England.

Natural England has recommended five locations in England that would provide a suitable habitat - and one of the proposals is for the Forest of Bowland.

At present there are around 40 beavers held in large enclosures at five places around England.

But there are not thought to be any in the wild, although a separate pilot scheme is under way to bring them back to Scotland this year.

The study says the most suitable areas for reintroducing beavers are the Forest of Bowland, the Weald of Kent, the New Forest, Bodmin Moor and the Peak District.

Professor John Gurnell, of Queen Mary College, University of London and one of the report's authors, said beavers acted as "ecosystem engineers" and could provide many benefits.

They sometimes build dams to stabilise the water levels around their burrows and channels for foraging, which slow rivers and control flooding, purify water and increase the number of plant and animal species in the habitat, he said.

Reintroducing beavers could deliver significant financial benefits by stabilising river banks and increasing natural flood defences, cutting water companies' bills for dealing with pollution or by keeping river levels up in low-flowing areas to help nearby wildlife and agriculture, the report said.

Mr Gurnell said some people feared beavers would cause damage to crops, trees or fishponds, spread disease, damage angling or affect wildlife.

But he said "most negative effects are probably more minor than major", limited to some damage to smaller trees, streams and fish ponds which could be easily dealt with.

Tom Tew, Natural England's chief scientist, stressed no decisions had yet been made.

He said: "Decisions about reintroducing the beaver into England need to be made with a full understanding of their potential impacts, which is why we have commissioned this study in advance of receiving any licence applications.

David Graveston, a farmer in Gisburn, said it would be "fantastic" if beavers could be introduced to help with water quality and habitat management.

He added: "As long as they are controlled and they don't start destroying crops or trees then I fully support the idea."

BEAVER NUMBERS

  • There are two breeds of beaver: the European and the American
  • The last recorded sighting of a wild beaver in England was in 1526, before they started to be held in captivity
  • Beavers can live up to 25 years old, but usually they survive for seven or eight years
  • The average beaver is one metre in length
  • In North America there are an estimated 10,000,000 beavers.

WHAT BEAVERS NEED TO SURVIVE

  • They need 2km lengths of river away from human populations, water at least 60cm deep and ideally, willow and poplar trees on the river bank
  • Beavers build canals to float build materials that are difficult to haul over land
  • They use powerful front teeth to cut trees and plants that they use for building and for food
  • They create dams as a protection against larger predators
  • The largest beaver dam ever discovered was 850 metres long
  • Beavers do not hibernate, but store sticks and logs underwater to feed on during the winter.

HOW BEAVERS BECAME EXTINCT IN BRITAIN

  • European beavers were hunted in Britain for their valuable fur, meat and body oils
  • In the middle ages they were extremely valuable for castoreum, a fluid found in their glands that was like sugar
  • They were considered extinct by the 16th century because of their value
  • However, it is widely believed several natives did survive until the 1900s
  • There are now 40 beavers in England held in captivity in five locations
  • Four Beaver families from Norway are due to be released at Knapdale in Kintyre, in Scotland, in May
  • Beavers still live in the wild in many parts of Europe.