Search is on for signs of early spring

Spring is already here, the Woodland Trust said today.

The trust, which is calling on the public to report any signs of spring as part of a conservation project, said a mild winter had hastened the onset of the season.

"We actually saw frogspawn in November, and there are bumblebees and ladybirds already," said the trust's Jill Attenborough.

The trust and the BBC are asking people to report sightings of animals and plants. It is hoped the data will give clues as to which species are at risk from the ever-earlier start to the season. To take part visit www.bbc.co.uk/springwatch.