He added: "The recent rain we've had is a reminder of the significant role beavers can play in engineering the landscape.

"As we face into the effects of climate change and more frequent extreme weather events, natural interventions like this need to be part of the solution."

Hunted for their meat, fur and scent glands, beavers became extinct in the UK in the 16th century, but have been reintroduced to a few sites in Britain the past 20 years.

The National Trust's project - part of its Riverlands programme - hopes to revive UK rivers by improving the quality of wildlife, boosting water quality and tackling climate change.

A similar five-year trial on the River Otter in Devon was recently celebrated as a success by the government, which is now considering a national plan to reintroduce beavers into natural habitats.

Reference: Sky News: Sabah Choudhry, news reporter