A WOODLAND project in Ingleton was officially opened on Wednesday.

The steeply sloping area behind St Mary's Church has been transformed into a native ash woodland complete with increased access to the site, new benches and interpretation panels.

A number of mature sycamores have been removed to encourage young ash trees to regenerate. This will form the basis of a thriving young woodland with a diversity of plant and animal species such as bluebells, tree creepers and spotted woodpeckers.

"Over the coming summer months there will be a valuable opportunity to see what flora and fauna appears in the woodland," explained Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust officer Isobel Hall.

She said further surveys, tree planting and scrub removal would be carried out in the autumn by students from Craven College.

Two interpretative panels have been developed with pupils at Ingleton primary and middle schools, who worked with artist Jean Davey and creative writer Liz Humphry-Williams. The woodland is seen through poetry, descriptive text and a mosaic of pictures.

Rev Tim Ashworth, vicar of Ingleton, said: "There's a really strong movement across the country with the development of church sites as places of environmental importance. It isn't so significant here, but in some urban environments the church and churchyard provide some little place where there can be development in the wildlife and nature of an area. Wherever it is, a church should be part of the landscape and contribute to the whole life of the village or town and be something that is useful within that setting.

"To enhance the beauty of the churchyard was one important part of the project and over the next 20 years its beauty will be enhanced. I am really delighted that this got off the ground."

Chris Leeming, deputy head of Ingleton Middle School, brought a group of children to the opening to see the results of their work. The content of the panels has been reproduced exactly as the children created it and Mr Leeming said the children would remember the project for a long time.

The work has been funded through St Mary's Church and the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, with money from Yorkshire Forward, the Heritage Lottery Fund, Craven District Council, Craven Trust and Shell Better Britain Community Projects Fund.