VOLUNTEERS are coming together to form a dedicated group to care for Avebury's stone circle, the sanctuary and Kennet Long Barrow.

The National Trust and the pagan community have come together to form the Avebury Guardians ahead of Volunteers Week, which starts on Wednesday.

The project has been developed out of the recently founded Avebury Sacred Sites Forum.

It aims to support the trust's own small warden team in patrolling the site, litter picking and monitoring erosion issue.

Richard Henderson, National Trust acting property manager for Avebury, said: "As we approach Volunteers Week, this is a great example of a project that has crossed boundaries, improved communication and opened up volunteering opportunities for parts of the community at Avebury that perhaps previously had contrasting views of Avebury to those of the National Trust."