A GARDEN centre in North Yorkshire is urging residents to get their gardens ready ahead of the world’s biggest annual wildlife survey.

The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch returns on January 27 – and Irton Garden Centre, near Scarborough, is encouraging people to get involved.

Research by the RSPB has shown that eight million birds have disappeared from UK skies in the last 50 years - making the survey an important event to protect our garden birds for generations to come.

The survey involves recording the number of birds that come and go in and out of your garden for one hour.

Irton Garden Centre has a range of products to help care for and feed garden birds – ranging from bird feeders, and nest boxes to high-energy, nutritious and tasty bird foods.

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Paul Williams, wildlife category manager at British Garden Centres, which operates the store, said: “It is great to take time out to watch and reconnect with birds and submit your sightings to help the RSPB gain some insights into how our birds are doing in our gardens and the environment.”

More information about the products on offer from Irton Garden Centre ahead of the bird watch can be found at britishgardencentres.com or in store.