Councillors in Atherstone have agreed to let "nature take its course" for the moment rather than adopt a kill-or-cure remedy for moles causing a nuisance in the town cemetery.

Town council members rose to defend the tunnelling mammals – urging caution with an "evict-not-exterminate" policy as the animals haven't yet made their presence felt in the graves area.

Perhaps it was no coincidence the subject had been placed as 'unlucky' item 13 on the February meeting agenda or the name of the contractors – Prokill – had been called in for advise on the situation at the burial ground in Sheepy Road.

But Councillor Denise Clews was first to stand up for the furry burrowers, passionately arguing: "Does eradicate mean kill or put them in the next field.

She added: "Have we got to do this to the poor moles? It's clearly what nature is telling them to do."

Councillor Ray Jarvis urged: "Evict not exterminate. Let's control them coming into the cemetery and encourage them to go next door."

But on a cautionary note, he added: "If they get between the graves then we will have a real problem."

Town councillors wholeheartedly said they would "monitor the moles" for the time being as chairman David Wright added: "They are not a threat at the moment."

The problem molehills surfaced at the end of last year and Councillor Wright explained to Nub News: "We asked our pest control contractors Prokill to look at the situation and the most humane way of dealing with the moles if they become more of a problem.

"All I can say is they are not in the graves area at the moment."

Footnote: Moles are known pests to human activities but the good news is they are are natural aerators and their tunneling loosens soil and mixes the topside humus with the lower soil and subsoil.