A SURVEY of a small North Yorkshire village revealed the presence of 17 different types of butterfly.

The findings are reported in the local newsletter for Hutton Rudby, near Yarm, which is edited by environmental consultant Christopher Lowe, who lives in the village.

Mr Lowe said: "Rare butterflies like the comma, holly blue and ringlet seem to be spreading into our area, perhaps responding to a warmer climate."

The parish is also home to a colony of endangered early purple orchid butterflies, although only seven specimens were recorded during a study, which was carried out for the national Millennium Botanical Atlas.