SOME of the rarest butterflies in the country received a boost thanks to a £75,000 cash injection to a conservation area near Bicester.

Highways England stumped up the money to help protect the future of the rare 'Hairstreak' butterfly family, which calls an area close to junction nine of the M40 its home.

The conservation area close to Wendlebury, near Bicester, was the focus of the project as butterfly numbers are dwindling and the area was suffering due to deer being able to intrude through damaged fences and disrupt the habitat.

But in partnership with wildlife charity Butterfly Conservation, UK Highways (M40) Ltd, and Carillion Highways Maintenance, the site has had a £75,000 makeover including 620 metres of fencing repaired along a 2.5 hectare stretch neighbouring the M40.

Highways England project manager Annette Hodgman said: "Highways England takes its environmental commitments very seriously, and we are aware of the disruption roads can cause to existing species and habitats.

"This partnership shows how through collaborative working we can ensure the effects of Britain’s roads on our countryside are mitigated, and we are delighted that we have all helped to preserve the future of these protected rare butterflies in this location."

The recently-refurbished fencing and gates are successfully keeping the deer at bay and helping to protect the rare butterflies' habitat.

Butterfly enthusiasts said the site is already showing signs of habitat regeneration for rarest member of the Hairstreak family, the Black Hairstreak, which is on the wing through June and July.

Butterfly Conservation’s head of monitoring Professor Tom Brereton said: “All our Hairstreak butterflies have declined in range and abundance over the last 40 years, but we can’t be sure of the exact numbers because they are so elusive and hard to monitor.

"That is why it is so important to do what we can to help them at existing sites like this one.

“The Black Hairstreak is one of our rarest butterflies, so this partnership and the work that has been carried out to protect its habitat is a really positive step towards reversing its decline and I would like to thank everyone involved."