DECK the halls with boughs of holly but please leave berries for wildlife.

That’s the message from officials at the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.

Officials at the charity say holly berries are a valuable source of food for birds and the foliage gives them shelter from the cold in the winter and nesting sites in spring.

They also say holly provides shelter for animals and insects, too and point out that it’s important that the plant is not over-trimmed because flowers are only produced on two-year-old wood.

Samantha Stokes, from the RSPB’s south-east England regional office, which covers Hampshire, said: “You can’t beat a bit of holly around the house to make you feel all Christmassy, but as well as it being a pretty plant, holly also plays a very important part in the lives of wildlife at this time of year.”

She added: “Taking the odd branch here and there will do no harm at all, but don’t take too much. Removing all the berries or cutting the bush back too much will mean birds and other animals that rely on the plant for food and shelter will be left without. And it could also damage the plant in the long-term too, meaning you won’t have any holly to jolly up your home next year.”