WALES: Facelift for home of phone firm bats.

A COLONY of more than 100 bats discovered in a BT telephone exchange are to have their home renovated free of charge.

The native pipistrelle bats made the right connection when they set up home in a town centre building in Monmouth, South Wales.

Engineers with the telecoms giant went to inspect the Victorian property, used as an exchange, ahead of maintenance work.

After discovering the unlikely lodgers they decided to modernise the building and create a purpose-built access for the bats.

BT also called in experts from the Countryside Council for Wales to advise on how to work without disturbing their guests.

The pipistrelle is a tiny bat which measures just 5cm from head to toe and weighs in at just 5g.

Still widespread across the UK its numbers have nevertheless plunged by 40% since the 1950s.

"The bats were found roosting in a modern link between the annex and the old building," a BT spokesman said.

"We called in the CCW for guidance because we want to carry out work on the building without disturbing the bats.

"Basically, they got in through a number of missing slates which need to be replaced so we are creating a new access for them.

"The building itself is pretty much in the town centre. We had no idea the residents were there. But we are quite happy to share."

A CCW spokeswoman said the colony was important for the area because it was much larger than an average roost site.