Captured on camera: The creatures that have made Squires Gate Railway Station their home

Some unusual visitors have made Squires Gate Railway Station their home, unbeknownst to the passengers who stop by.

Wildlife cameras set up around the platforms by the station’s volunteer group have captured the nocturnal movements of hedgehogs, ferrets, mice, a weasel, a fox and even a sand lizard.

The footage also shows an inquisitve magpie tapping on the camera and a rabbit’s lucky escape as a fox is spotted on the opposite platform.

Barrie Russell, who leads the voluntter group along with Paul Nettleton, said: “These once unloved platforms are now bursting with colour and life following a concerted effort from a bunch of really dedicated people.

"It is really exciting to watch the footage from the wildlife cameras. We built a little wooden hut for the hedgehog and created a sand dune for the sand lizard and we will continue to support the animals through winter.”

Maintenance of the station, which is an integral part of the South Fylde Line, was taken over by the group of passionate volunteers in 2018 after Barrie and Tony Ford opted to split the former Friends of St Annes and Squires Gate Stations groups into two to give them their own identity and dedicated teams.

Barrie and Paul arrange regular meet ups with volunteers to carry out projects such as planting and watering flowers, painting, strimming and even small construction tasks.

Work started on a 40-point project plan in 2018 and since then the volunteers have completed 16 tasks with a further nine in progress and six that are ongoing.

In 2022 the team successfully carried out a project to improve accessibility to Platform 2 by transforming a previously overgrown space into a ramp using donated materials.

Work has also been undertaken to create a series of raised flower beds that provide a safe seating area for the team and their visitors as well as a stunning floral display for rail users, staff and, of course, the local community.

Other achievements include the design and installation of an innovative, environmentally friendly, solar powered water collection system and the introduction of two large perennial sleeper planting beds.

Barrie and Paul are delighted with the work carried out by the group and they are always looking for more enthusiasts to come along and get involved.

Barrie added: “We are environmentally conscious and our aim is to make maintenance and improvements more self-sufficient - we will reuse and recycle whatever we can.

“In addition to all the beautiful planters we also have an apple tree, a pear tree, strawberry plants and some herbs that can be shared out with the volunteers with a view to offering the produce to the local community when they are fully established.

“We are always on the lookout for more people over the age of 18 to help. We meet throughout the year and work hard while having fun along the way.”

To join the volunteering team, email [email protected]