A Cumbria pet supplier is offering free food to budding bird watchers taking part in an annual garden survey.

WCF Pet & Equestrian is urging people across the county to get involved in this year’s RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, which takes place from Saturday to Monday.

The company has six stores in Cumbria, and each is giving away a bird feeder and wild bird food to a worthy group in its area.

It’s hoped this might help organisations such as nursing homes, day centres or youth clubs to take part in the world's largest garden wildlife survey.

Since first being held in 1979, the Big Garden Birdwatch has grown into an annual event, with about 500,000 people counting the species that visit their gardens or local green space.

The RSPB says almost 6,000 people took part in Cumbria last year, helping to spy 8m birds. The house sparrow remained top of the county rankings, with blue tit and blackbird rounding off the top three.

Staff at stores in Carlisle, Cockermouth, Kendal, Penrith, Ulverston and Wigton, have been brushing up on their wild bird knowledge ahead of this year’s event and are looking forward to hearing about their customers’ top spotting tips.

Any group which wants to take part but doesn’t have a bird feeder can contact its local store by Friday January 26 .

One winner from each store will be chosen to receive a Peckish click top feeder and a 6kg bag of WCF Premium wild bird food.

Penrith store manager Chris Wills said: “Wild bird watching is a real growth area and provides an awful lot of enjoyment for people."

Share the sightings from your garden using #BigGardenBirdwatch