IN this week’s issue, we learn that the surprise find of two baby bats in her daughter’s bedroom has led Cornish Times reporter Kerenza Moore on a fascinating journey of discovery about the lives of these nocturnal creatures.

She has found that far from being the blood-sucking, near-supernatural beings of folk tales and legend, they eat insects, are harmless to humans and are able to happily co-exist with us in our homes and other buildings without doing any damage – unlike rodents such as mice.

Indeed, due to declining numbers due to modern farming and building methods, if you have a bat roost in your property, there is a legal obligation to make sure it is safeguarded and not disturbed. What is more, there are volunteers around Cornwall dedicated to nursing lost and injured bats back to health.

Find out more about these fascinating creatures in our two-page feature in the Cornish Times, in shops today.