The kingfisher is becoming a common sight again along Kent's rivers (picture courtesy Andy Vidler)

Kent's kingfisher population is on the rise in Kent after two harsh winters, according to a wildlife survey.

Around nine in ten people who took part in the study – a joint initiative between the RSPB, the WWF, the Angling Trust and the Salmon and Trout Association – said they had spotted the colourful bird along their local river.

Numbers have dwindled in recent years, with river pollution and extremely cold weather thought to be to blame.

A third of people who responded to the survey also said they had spotted the water vole, Britain's fastest decling mammal.

Steve Gilbert, conservation programme manager for the RSPB South East, said: "The results of the survey paint a fascinating picture of our native freshwater wildlife and of some of the ways in which people in Kent benefit from being able to visit their local rivers and watch the kingfishers and water voles which live there.

"The responses from Kent also tally with other surveys that show kingfishers are bouncing back after the recent harsh weather.

"What we need to do now is to push for action on getting the rivers they depend on up to scratch."

The RSPB says just a quarter of the UK's rivers meet the current EU standard for good ecological status.

Alongside the three other organisations involved in the survey, it has asked the environment minister Richard Benyon to take tougher action to protect wildlife in the forthcoming Water White Paper.

The paper is due be published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) before Christmas and is expected to lead to a reform of the water industry.