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That means they bred and the female gave birth in a den, which could be a hollowed-out log or other safe haven.

Mr Chester's family described him as "Bicester born and bred" with a "quirky sense of humour".

He has successfully bred hundreds of water voles which have been reintroduced into the wild, though he said their release was no guarantee of survival.

Many in racing believe that horses aren’t trained, or even bred, to come back and race on two weeks’ rest.

Concerns about the pace of change are not limited to those born and bred in this part of the Pennines.