Slugs and snails are often seen as the bane of gardens, but they do perform some valuable tasks for your outdoor space. These pests help to break down plant matter, disperse seeds and provide food for a host of other beneficial creatures.

However, when their numbers become an issue, gardeners will need a method to eliminate them. While there are chemical slug removers available, it's always worth trying the natural approach first.

expert Pim Dickson suggested that the "simplest solution" is to gather all of the slugs and snails in your garden and "physically relocate them". The "perfect time" to do this is in the evening immediately after a rain shower.

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Collect them in a bucket, and then dispose of them humanely somewhere far away.

However, if slugs and snails continue to invade your garden, you may need to adopt a "harder stance". Pim explained that traps can also "prove highly effective".

One that he claims "actually works" is a beer trap, reports The gardening pro said: "A jar half full of beer, buried up to its neck in the ground works well, even better with a handful of oats mixed in it."

He added: "They'll be attracted to the sugars in the beer and fall in, to be removed and disposed of later."

The beer and oat trap works by luring in slugs, and as they enter and drink the beer, they become intoxicated and can't get back out.

Slugs and snails have a real thing for the yeasty, fermented scent of beer, even more than the fresh aroma of your plants. You'll want to grab a cheap beer for this trick and strategically place these boozy traps around your garden where you've spotted the slimy critters.

Remember, these slow movers need a nearby beer trap so they don't have to slug it too far from their usual haunts. The "best time" to get on top of your slug and snail situation is during spring and early summer when they're most hungry and can wreak havoc on your plants and tender new shoots.