ONE of the most distressing sights confronting wildlife experts, as they set about rescuing the few surviving animals on the heath, was the charred remains of a helpless baby fawn.

Its confused mother was spotted frantically searching for her offspring amid the decimated landscape.

Dorset Wildlife Trust, who have managed the rare habitat for 13 years, say thousands of reptiles, birds, insects and plant life have been simply wiped out.

Trust chief executive Simon Cripps said: “This is a disaster that will set wildlife back by 20 years or more on this important site.

“It is doubly heartbreaking that dartford warbler numbers had already been halved by the cold winter and there is now little chance of a recovery for them for many years.”

Upton Heath is a 500-acre Site of Special Scientific Interest and home to all six British species of reptile.

As the rescue operation started yesterday, only a handful of common lizards and a smooth snake had been recovered.

Nicky Hoar, from the trust, said: “It is absolute devastation.

“Almost half the heath has been destroyed.

“We have been finding lots of corpses, only a few species alive.

“We have lost many animals and birds and there are now huge areas with nothing living.

“It is simply heartbreaking.

“On this part of the heath the eco-system is seriously, seriously damaged and we’ve got a long way back.”

Trust volunteering manager Steve Davis extended his sympathies to the many residents whose enjoyment of the heath will be ‘adversely affected’.

He added: “We must also thank the emergency services and urban heaths partnership who are still working on the site.”