Dippers photographed on River Lim after more than a year

Dippers are the UK's only aquatic songbird and are known residents of the River Lim, until they seemingly disappeared a year ago.

This was when the river was declared 'ecologically dead' due to human waste overflow.

There were fears that the birds had left for good as they are known to generally stick to the same river.

However, a woman who made it her mission to track them down has sparked joy by sharing her amazing pictures of the birds near Windsor Terrace in Lyme Regis.

(Image: Helen Wood)

Helen Wood, from Hampshire, frequently visits Lyme Regis and looks forward to taking pictures of dippers every year.

Helen said: "When I heard they had disappeared I thought it was terrible so I made a concerted effort to find them.

"They are birds that I love to see, I would have been really upset if they weren't there any more.

"I went there last week and saw them three out of the four days I was there."

Helen Wood (Image: Helen Wood)

Helen says when she showed Dorset Birding groups her photos she received a flood of interest and requests for more information about how to find them.

Helen added: "People are excited about it, and with all the bad news about pollution it is nice to get a good story.

"I think they had been pushed to a different branch of the river."

Rob Thames, a co-ordinator for the campaign group River Lim Action, lives by the river.

He is overjoyed that the birds have been spotted on the river, having been trying to spot them almost every day.

He said: "I have been looking for them every day, it was upsetting that I could not find them.

"It is absolutely wonderful that they are still here, though we are still having pollution problems with the river."

(Image: Helen Wood)

Dippers have 'amber' conservation status due to a decline in numbers.

The River Lim in west Dorset used to be a thriving ecosystem with trout, eels and kingfishers populating the area.

In August there were concerns that a large volume of sewage flowing down streets in Uplyme was going into the river.

Rob added: "In terms of the river's pollution things are up and down. It is still quite badly polluted at times.

"There is still work to be done."