Members of Melksham’s Rainbows troop have been busy getting their hands dirty building a ‘bug hotel’ at a new housing development.

The girls, all aged five to seven, helped build the wildlife habitat in the gardens of David Wilson Homes’ showhomes at The Gateway in Melksham, as they worked towards a nature badge.

Caitlin Burrows from Girlguiding Wiltshire North said: “Helping to make this bug hotel has inspired the girls to do more activities and learn more about the environment.”

David Wilson Homes sales director Louise Ware said: “It has been a great project to create a winter haven for the bugs.

“The girls worked hard with our staff to create the hotel out of materials such as wood, cardboard, twigs and straw – the perfect home for insects and bees to find shelter.’’

To thank the Rainbows for their help with the project, the housebuilding firm gave them each a goodie bag, which included a nature hunt book, a packet of wild flower seeds and a recipe card for making bird feeders.