VISITORS to Hughenden Manor are able to keep a close eye on two of its newest residents thanks to two webcams.

One hidden camera has been installed in a nesting box in the walled garden at the manor, in Hughenden. A couple of great tits have made the box their home and the mum is currently sitting on four eggs which are due to be hatched in the next couple of weeks.

The other webcam is trained on a badger sett in nearby woodland to record the activities of the nocturnal creatures. Live CCTV footage of the birds can be seen on a TV monitor in the ticket office at Hughenden and the daily activities of the parents-to-be are proving to be a hit with visitors.

The cameras were provided by the Chilterns Conservation Board as part of its Getting Close to Nature' project, which is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Jessie Binns, community and learning officer for the National Trust, said: "The gardens, parklands and woods of Hughenden are a fantastic habitat for wildlife. The National Trust looks after its land in a way that allows wildlife to flourish, and technology can now give us a bird's-eye view of the hidden nature in our midst."