A FARMER from south Wiltshire, who has worked tirelessly to encourage wildlife and enrich the countryside, has won second place in the UK's top farm conservation competition.

Colin Coward, of 681acre Mere Down Farm, on the outskirts of Mere, was runner-up in this year's Silver Lapwing Award and received his prize - a £500 cheque and a miniature replica of the silver lapwing trophy - from the Princess Royal at a ceremony in London.

Mr Coward, whose landlord is Prince Charles's Duchy of Cornwall, has lived at the arable and beef farm for more than 40 years and has restored hedges by coppicing and replanting, regenerated hazel copses and recreated 66 acres of downland with grasses and naturally harvested wildflower seed from a site of special scientific interest.

He has grown vetch to help the rare Adonis butterfly and created a habitat for hares and grey partridge.

An avenue of lime trees, planted about 1870, has been pollarded and is regrowing and an avenue of wych elm that succumbed to Dutch elm disease was replanted with lime to mark the millennium.

Farm buildings, some dating back to 1730, have been restored, providing a home for swallows, bats and a barn owl.

Mr Coward, who was inspired to take part in the competition by his daughter Lisa, who has worked as Fwag adviser for Wiltshire, said he was delighted with his success.

"I was ecstatic to get to the last three, so I am really delighted to have been awarded second prize," he said.

"I think the judges were impressed with the downland creation, the hazel coppicing, the lime avenue and the barns.

The competition, now in its 25th year, was organised by the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group and sponsored by farm management business Farmcare.

John Sheaves, regional manager, south west Fwag, said: "The outstanding conservation work at Mere Down Farm is an example of what can be achieved with passion, insight and careful planning.

"The future of farming in the UK depends on combining profitability with a sensitive and imaginative contribution to the environment.

"Colin Coward has given us a model of good farming practice."

First place went to Partridge Hill Farm, in Yorkshire, an arable farm with permanent grassland, and third to Herdship Farm, a beef and sheep holding in County Durham.