THIS delightful family of long-tailed tits was pictured by Daily Echo photographer John Luthwaite feeding on a bird table in a Romsey garden.

Increasingly these small-bodied birds have become garden creatures due to the milder winters of recent years.

"Their unusual tail acts as balance," said Grahame Madge, a spokesman for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

"The birds are highly active forages who prance and dart around in order to entrap their prey, normally spiders or insects,'' he added.

In order to cope with the harsh winter evenings, the birds will huddle together, causing flocks that sometimes number as many as 60 of the beautiful creatures.