A group of baby dormice has been released into the wild in a bit to halt the extinction of one of Britain's most treasured wild animals.

The exciting journey forms part of a project led by The Wildwood Trust, which raised 29 of the 39 animals involved.

The conservation centre, based in Herne Bay, is the UK's leading captive breeding centre for the tiny creatures.

Luckily, the group won't be completely alone in their new surroundings.

Volunteers near Coventry, where the animals were released, will be ensuring they make their trip into the wild slowly.

They will be housed in soft release cages for seven to 10 days, before a small opening is made, allowing them to explore the woodland.

The dormice, which have been micro-chipped, will then be continually monitored to track their progress.

It is hoped the group will meet up with last year's dormice, who were released in an area nearby.

Hazel Ryan, Wildwood's head of conservation said: "It's wonderful to make a difference and prevent these wonderful creatures going extinct.

"We hope that with continued effort we can help to expand their range and bring hazel dormice back to areas where they once thrived."

Hazel dormice have been in decline for the last 100 years, and there are thought to be just 45,000 left in the UK.

Their decline has been attributed to the loss and fragmentation of ancient woodland, clearance of hedgerows and climate change, among other factors.

This week's reintroduction was the 28th of its kind in the UK.

The project has received support from the Common Dormouse Captive Breeders Group, the People's Trust for Endangered Species, Zoological Society of London, Paignton Zoo, Natural England, Warwickshire Wildlife Trust and the National Dormouse Monitoring Programme.

For more information on hazel dormice and The Wildwood Trust click here

Five things you might not know about dormice

1 They're not mice

The dormouse is not in the same family as regular mice - although they are also classed as rodents.

This is because, instead of a scaly tail, a dormouse has a fluffy one.

2 A lot of them live in Kent

Dormice can be found mainly in the south, such as Sussex, Kent, Devon and Somerset.

They are widespread in Kent's ancient woodlands, and can be found across the entire county.

3 They are protected by law

Dormice may not be disturbed, injured or killed in their nests, collected trapped or sold without a licence.

They are protected under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act, Conservation Regulations of 1994 and Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

4 Their name means 'sleepy one'

Dormice can go through long periods of hibernation that last up to six months.

The world dormouse is believed to come from the Anglo-Saxon word dormeus, which roughly translates as "sleepy one".

5 It can be hard for them to find food

Grey squirrels, introduced to the UK in the late 1800s, consume nuts at an earlier stage than dormice, leaving them with very little.