WILDLIFE presenters Steve Backshall, Michaela Strachan and Miranda Krestovnikoff are urging people in East Lancashire to get outside and take part in the Great British Bee Count 2015, which is taking place throughout May.

Organised by Friends of the Earth, Buglife and Waitrose, the project aims to build on the success of last year’s inaugural event, when more than 23,000 people took part, spotting in excess of 830,000 bees.

Gardeners across the region are also being encouraged to take steps to make their gardens more bee-friendly, and help provide crucial havens for our threatened pollinators.

Steve Backshall said: “Bees are our pals. Without their pollinating powers, our planet would grind to a halt.

“So get out, have a fun day in the countryside, and do a bit of citizen science counting our buzzing buddies.”

Beekeeper Bob Fulton, a founding member of the Darwen Beekeeping Group, said: “I think that this is a great idea.

“It will help with the conservation of bees and it might encourage more people to take up bee keeping .”

BBC Springwatch host Michaela Strachan said: “ In the UK we are lucky enough to have around 250 different types of bee and a lot of people don’t know that.

“So get outside and see how many you can spot and do what you can to help these awesome little pollinators .”

Natural history presenter Miranda Krestovnikoff said: “ Britain’s bees are in serious decline. We can all give them a boost by creating bee-friendly habitats in our schools, parks and gardens.”

For more information visit greatbritishbeecount.co.uk