The Downlands Countryside Management project is looking for volunteer stock checkers or 'urban shepherds' to spend an hour a week checking livestock across East Surrey.

Sheep, goats, cattle and Dartmoor ponies graze sites all across East Surrey, including sites near Caterham, Banstead and Purley. Grazing with livestock helps stop scrub re-growth over the rare chalk grassland, and also varies the length of grass helping to attract a variety of insects, birds, mammals and flowers. The role of urban shepherd involves checking the animals are healthy and happy, checking the fence lines are not damaged by fallen trees, and making sure the animals have food and water.

Kate Mayo of the Downlands Countryside Management Project said: "The snow last month caused problems for the animals, as their food source was covered over. We had to go out to all the sites every day and feed them by hand, and break the ice on their water troughs!