Ref. 25721-67A CELEBRATION of the more natural form of flight will be held in the Walled Garden of Lydiard Park this weekend.

Called the Wonderful Wings Weekend, the event is planned to celebrate the wide diversity of flying creatures in Swindon.

It will offer visitors the chance to find out more about some of the wildlife that live all around us.

It will also offer the opportunity to see what goes on inside a beehive, find out about plants, which types will attract butterflies into your garden, and see falcons swoop from the sky at more than 60mph.

Neil Pullen, Swindon Wildlife Officer for the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, said: "This is the first time this event has taken place. It is an exciting project and there are so many things going on it would be difficult to decide on a highlight.

"It is a coincidence that the event competes with the Air Tattoo at Fairford, but it means that people will be able to go to the airshow one day then see a different form of flight the next.

"The weekend of events is a wonderful way of celebrating the wide diversity and natural history we have in Swindon, and hopefully it can become an annual event, the three Ws in the name offer lots of opportunities for future events."

Helen Senior, co-ordinator of the event, and a Swindon Wildlife Group volunteer, said: "This is probably going to be largest wildlife-focused event in Swindon and it is going fantastically.

"Swindon has such a fascinating array of biodiversity.

"I was walking through Stanton Park and I counted 15 different species of butterfly. That's a quarter of all the species which can be found in the British Isles, seen during a short walk."

The event will also feature stalls, exhibitions, displays, arts and crafts, children's events, walks and talks and demonstrations.

The event is being run by the Swindon Wildlife Group local supporters of the work of the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, which aims to build a sustainable future for wildlife and people.

It is being sponsored by Innogy, whose grant to Swindon Wildlife Group has enabled the event to be staged with no entry fee.

The Wonderful Wings Weekend takes place on Saturday and Sunday, from noon until 5pm. Entry and parking are free.

What's on

Bird of Prey Demonstration between 12.30pm and 3.30pm.

Make flying bird workshop sessions between noon 2pm or 3pm 5pm.

Tepee stories about Wonderful Wings with Tom and Jane.

Face painting, posters, masks, badges and bird boxes.

Self-guided walks with volunteers to point out birds on from 12pm 4pm.

Guided walks by local experts include a Butterfly trail at 2pm and a Dragonfly extravaganza at 2.30pm.

n There will also be stalls from around 15 nature charities and organisations including, the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, the Swindon Rangers, RSPB, the British Dragonfly Society and the Wiltshire Ornithological Society.