NATURE reserves in Swindon are the subject of a £19,500 National Lottery bid.

Swindon Council's cabinet committee was tonight set to approve a bid for cash to improve public access to its two nature reserves at Coate Water and Seven-fields.

Council parks and amenities manager, Martin Hambridge, believes these islands of natural beauty are currently under-appreciated by the general public.

He said: "This money should help people get more out of what they can see. It will help us promote the two nature reserves to the local public who probably don't realise they have them on their doorstep."

At Coate Water, it is planned to build two viewing platforms and an access bridge to improve facilities for birdwatchers.

It is also proposed to put up three information boards and produce a glossy leaflet detailing the attractions there.

At Sevenfields, which is located in a valley between Penhill and Haydon Wick, the council wants to provide more public information at the site through the four main entrance signs.

It features some of the best unspoilt flower meadows in Wilt-shire and is home to hundreds of rare species of flowers as well as wildlife, birds and the rare Wild Service Tree.

Coate Water Country Park is a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest protected because of its nationally-recognised reed beds.

They serve as the habitat for birds such as reed warblers and sedge warblers.

Other feathered visitors to Coate Water include poachards, teals, cormorants and breeding pairs of herons.

Mr Hambridge said: "We really want to try and promote these sites and get more members of the public out to discover what they've got on their own doorstep."

Swindon Council is applying for lottery money being handed out by Government agency English Nature under its Wildspace grant scheme.

In October 2000 English Nature was given £4.6 million from the National Lottery New Opportuni-ties Fund to promote local nature reserves.

www.english-nature.org.uk