WORK will soon begin on restoring wildlife riches to the River Ray at Rivermead.

The Swindon Water for Wildlife group is launching a restoration project that begins next month and will last for two years.

A key feature of the work will involve putting actual bends back into the river, which many years ago was previously straightened.

Project officer Jo Sayer explained why the river needed the work.

She said: "Many urban rivers were engineered into canals in the post-war period, and floodplains were drained. This is what happened to the River Ray.

"At present it's little more than a ditch, and it's only recently that we've realised how damaging these 'improvements' have been to the river environment and the wildlife it supports."

The work will initially concentrate on a 1.2km stretch of river at Rivermead.

"By restoring some of the original features, the range of wildlife will increase over a wide distance on either side of the river," said the project officer."

The Ray already accommodates kingfishers and water voles.

Funding for the restoration work comes from the landfill tax credit scheme and is supported through Biffa, Swindon Services, RWE Innogy, Thames Water and Hills Waste.