The University of East Anglia's rabbit population will be seen by millions when the life of the colony is showcased on two national television shows.

On Tuesday and Wednesday they will make appearances on the BBC's The One Show and Springwatch.

A BBC crew spent a number of days at the university in May, filming the rabbits at various locations on campus including 'Waveney Mountain', the hill next to the Colman House accommodation block.

Production teams from The One Show and Springwatch were joined by conservation biologist Diana Bell from the UEA's School of Biological Sciences.

Dr Bell has carried out a 30-year behavioural study – the world's longest – looking at the rabbits.

She said: 'Both teams were impressed by the fact that the rabbits were not disturbed by the large amount of people who are on campus daily, including the students who were playing frisbee next to them. The cast was mainly the Waveney Mountain colony, which performed on cue with mate-guarding of doe by a dominant buck, and an abundance of baby rabbits.'

Between 60pc and the entire colony will die when the annual outbreak of myxomatosis arrives but it is not the only threat the rabbits face.

The crew also filmed a fox hunting for prey and catching a baby rabbit.

The footage will be broadcast on The One Show on Tuesday from 7pm on BBC1 and on Springwatch on Wednesday from 8pm on BBC2.