RISING numbers of great spotted woodpeckers have led a utility company to test out a new way to protect wooden electricity poles from the birds.

UK Power Networks distributes electricity in Sussex and the south east and east of England.

It said in the last year alone it had dealt with about 6,000 of its poles which had been damaged by the birds.

The company says this is because they are confusing them for trees.

Now it is trialling a new wood filler which contains a fragrance that repels woodpeckers.

The aim is to try to persuade them not to drill their way through poles to make nests.

The company said this would help keep costs down for customers and prevent power cuts.

Woodpeckers often return to places where they have already pecked holes to hunt for food such as insects and worms.

Deciding to fill up the holes made in electricity poles with the substance is a safe and environmentally friendly way of encouraging them to look elsewhere, the company said.

The method has already been used extensively near Brighton to prevent the need to replace wooden poles.

Because woodpeckers are protected by law, engineers are instructed never to disturb a nest.

The firm says this is particularly the case if eggs or young are present.

Great spotted woodpeckers numbers have risen 136 per cent in the last 20 years.

Green woodpecker numbers are up by 31 per cent according to figures from the British Trust for Ornithology.

UK Power Networks head of innovation Ian Cameron said: “We have noticed an increase in the number of our poles that had to be replaced because of woodpecker damage, resulting in loss of power for our customers.

“So we researched how we could do something about it before it becomes a big problem.

“We trialled a new product developed in the United States that fills the holes and emits a harmless scent to persuade woodpeckers to pick a more suitable home.

“We think it’s a perfect way of ensuring that we’re keeping our customers’ lights on while respecting the wildlife population.”