Waters off North Devon look set to be a protection area for harbour porpoises.

The Government has approved plans to make the Bristol Channel Approaches, stretching from Cornwall across to Wales, a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

The area is six times the size of Dartmoor and is thought to support five per cent of the porpoise population in the Celtic and Irish seas.

It is one of five identified in the UK and is now waiting for final approval from the European Commission.

The local SAC includes Hartland and the entire area around Lundy Island.

The areas have been identified based on analysis of 18 years of data on harbour porpoise distribution.

Alec Taylor at the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) said it was a ‘much-needed’ step in the protection of one fo the UK’s most loved species.

He added: “These sites will not only go a long way to protecting these enigmatic animals from human pressures in the areas they use the most, but will help create a UK marine environment that is rich and healthy, enjoyed by all whilst supporting sustainable livelihoods and multi-sector use.

“However, now is the time for proper management measures on issues such as by-catch and underwater noise and WWF-UK looks forward to working with the UK Government and others to ensure the safety and long-term prosperity of our harbour porpoises.”