It's hard to believe that a creature so small could cause such a lot of trouble.

The latest unwelcome visitor to my garden measures just 20cm long, but does ENORMOUS damage.

Since the arrival of Mr Mole (he has no wife or family) just two short weeks ago, our lawn has been turned into a series of black bumps, resembling mini land mines.

I confess the grass wasn’t beautifully manicured before, but now we’ve got a resident mole, it’s an absolute eyesore.

Moles create a series of tunnels below the surface of the lawn, to create feeding runs.

The sheer speed of excavation is amazing – it can move 14kgfourteen kg of earth in an hour, that’s a fairly good rate of digging for such a small creature, hence the large shovel-like front feet.

The earth is forced to the surface and there forms the unsightly mole hill, all in the quest for worms, of which there seem an unlimited numberamount in my garden, a veritable feast for Mr Mole.

And there is just the one.

Moles are very antisocial creatures, hating their fellow creatures almost as much as I hate this new intruder to my garden.

He has an enormous appetite and creates an underground larder for a rainy day, excess worms are stored after their heads are bitten off to prevent escape – nice.

So why is it my garden has been chosen for attack while others in the village have escaped?

The answer lies in the fact that our garden backs on to grassland where the soil has been undisturbed for years.

Small gardens are avoided because of the amount of overground activity, a favourite haunt is a garden with an extensive lawn and adjacent orchard.

Bingo, that would be us.

I now know why we’ve been chosen as a des-res for Mr Mole, but this is not Wind in the Willows and I am of a mind to evict the little critter asap.

But how?

A quick internet search has left me in no doubt that this is a common problem.

Controls appear to be divided between deterrents, traps and poisons.

All sorts of concoctions are recommended – burning rags, disinfectant, creosote, old kippers and so on.

In fact, it would seem to be extremely difficult to drive off or kill a mole.

Our project manager used to be a green keeper and molehills were a constant problem for him.

He has recommended burying broken glass down the run, but although I don’t like the molehills, I’m not that blood-thirsty.

I’d rather my mole packs his bags and moves into next door’s garden.

A cat is said to be an effective method – the sound and smell of the cat scratching above the tunnels seems to have driven off moles in a few cases.

We don’t own a cat, but our neighbours do.

I’m idly wondering what their reaction would be to my borrowing their pussy for purposes of scaring our mole into their garden.

Hmmm… I need an alternative plan.

Even if I do borrow our neighbours’ cat to scare our mole into their garden, the likelihood is that another would soon take up residence here.

We’ve chosen to live in the country, and have to accept the consequences.

Live and let live.