By Lily Franklin

A bird box has been installed on top of a historic church in order to create a nesting space for one of the world's fastest animals.

The wooden structure has been placed on the roof of Saint Laurence Church in Ramsgate, and will hopefully become home to a pair of pegrine falcons.

If the project is successful, there are plans to install a camera which will provide the public with a live stream of the predators in action.

After the 1950s, the number of peregrines declined rapidly due to hunting, leaving only 1,500 pairs left in Britain.

In 1973, they were listed as an endangered species, meaning they became illegal to kill, and the population steadily increased.

Now, conservationists are eager to provide safe spaces for these birds to nest, such as the Ramsgate spot, with the scheme spearheaded by local wildlife enthusiast Nik Mitchell.

Mr Mitchell said: “This project is very exciting, it’s a first for the area and I’m looking forward to seeing the skies come alive with one of the most incredible birds in the world.”

There is currently a pair of breeding peregrines based in Thanet, however due to the lack of shelter, their nests are often destroyed.

They often fly over the area and are expected to find the new box, installed on Friday, fairly quickly.

The oldest church in Ramsgate, St Laurence Church was founded in 1062 and is Grade I-Listed.

Consequently the box is freestanding and has been carefully placed in the gaps of the castillations so as to cause no damage to the building.

The peregrine falcon is native to the UK, and is recognised as the fasted bird in the world when diving, reaching speeds of 240 miles per hour.

Back in 2015, a similar box was installed on the cliffs in Ramsgate and it successfully provided shelter for peregrines for more than five years.