Ref. 28148-12Wildlife habitat in Swindon has grown this weekend with the planting of trees and hedges in the Hreod Burna Parkway.

About 60 volunteers joined an activity day to enhance the area, which runs westwards from Tydeman Street along Akers Way, and help secure the forest's future.

"It was very muddy and a bit cold, but great fun," said Heather Lilley, community education officer of the Great Western Community Forest, which organised the free event.

"We got even more work done that we had hoped for."

One hundred trees were planted, including walnut, crab apple, wild pear and cherry, oak and chestnuts.

More than 1,000 seedlings were planted to make the hedge, consisting of hawthorn, blackthorn, holly and dogwood, which was just over 500 feet long.

The ground is so fertile that forest staff are confident the area will look like well-established woodland within 10 years.

Volunteers, wearing warm clothing and stout footwear, also got involved clearing litter and junk from the area.

And the forest also put on a range of family activities including environmental art and craft workshops and face painting sessions.

Visitors also took advantage of hot soup and jacket potatoes, as well as guided walks around the Moredon Arboretum.

The day was part of a year-long project to improve the area for wildlife and visitors.

The Parkway has been plagued with pollution problems, with items like shopping trolleys dumped in the stream.

Margaret Harman, environmental health and safety manager of Swindon-based AFL Telecommuni-cations Europe, which supported the event, said it was good that several young people had attended.

"If the children now are starting to think about their local environment, particularly an area like this, then it is more likely they will take care of it when they are older," she said.

Staff at the Great Western Community Forest, which consists of more than 168 square miles of open space, farmland and nature areas, are organising another public event in the New Year to clear out the stream.

There are also plans to cut some of the area's willows down to size as part of a managed growth cycle.

Andy Tate