A CANALSIDE wildlife haven at Bank Newton near Gargrave has been improved with the help of a grant and a few hungry sheep.

The former area of derelict grassland has already been transformed into an accessible area where plants and wildlife can thrive and local people can enjoy the natural environment

A £1,000 grant from Yorventure has been spent on new solar-powered electric fences to tie in with the scheme's philosophy of conservation, along with troughs and feed bales.

Twice a year sheep will graze the land to help with maintenance. They will be kept on the site for short periods and it is hoped that their eating will ensure fast-growing, invasive grasses are kept back and rare plant species can thrive.

The transformation of the land has already turned the derelict wasteland into a haven for wildlife and it has become a popular walking and leisure area for people in the Gargrave area.

Grants from the Millennium Commission and British Trust for Conservation Volunteers have already provided steps, fencing and information boards for the site.

There are also plans for Gargrave Primary School to use the area for environmental studies fieldwork, and it is hoped that an application to the British Waterways Trust for a grant to supply equipment and materials will be successful.

Lockkeeper Steve Rawson, who has spearheaded the project, said: "I've spotted more than 60 different bird species here, as well as all of the common butterflies, and we hope that more efficient maintenance of the site will encourage an even greater variety of wildlife".

He added that the encouragement of the rarer plant species would be a great attraction for different kinds of insects to the area.

Yorventure is backed by waste management company Yorwaste which manages the Skibeden landfill site near Skipton and provides grants for environmental projects.