WIMBLEDON tennis balls have a second life after being used at the All England Club.
Around 55,000 balls are expected to be used at this year’s championship.
And although some will continue to be used for their intended purpose, many more will be upcycled and used as homes for mice.
In partnership with the Wildlife Trust in Avon, Glamorgan and Northumberland, balls have been donated to protect harvest mice.
The balls are modified by cutting small openings which allow the thumb-sized mice to burrow into.
They are then placed in tall grass, which is where the mice are often found, or on mounted on poles to help them escape predators.
The balls also protect the mice from extreme conditions.
The initiative began in 2000 as harvest mice became endangered following the loss of their habitat as a result of and flooding.
Fans love the scheme with one saying: “Wonderful ideaâ£ï¸”;
Another added: “Love this.”;
A third wrote: “This is very adorable 😔;
And another commented: “They should go to golden retrievers!”;
