A moth previously believed to be extinct and an orchid not seen in the wild for almost 100 years are among the weird and wonderful species spotted in the UK this year.

Britain’s biodiversity continues to decline at an alarming rate, but environmentalists say there are reasons to be cheerful thanks to the return of some rare species to the British Isles.

“No matter how big or small, nature can and will bounce back when given the chance,” said Dr Rob Stoneman, director of landscape recovery at The Wildlife Trusts.