A MALVERN man is hoping to work with Malvern Hills Conservators on plans to turn felled trees into fuel.

Paul Doyle, a mature student at University College Worces-ter, wants to start a company, provisionally called Malvern Biofuels, to sell logs and chippings from wood produced on the hills.

Mr Doyle explained his proposal to the Conservators' land management committee on Thursday.

He said if the Conservators could deposit spare gorse, twigs and logs at a collection point in the West of England quarry, his company would take it away and dry it.

Bracken and tree tops would be broken down into chippings and logs dried and sold.

Weobley Primary School and Worcestershire County Council, which both use wood burners, are potential clients.

The bags of fuel would cost the company around £1. 88p to produce and would be sold for about £3.19.

There would be no financial benefit to the Conservators, but the company would take away wood which is currently either discarded or burned.

Conservators director Ian Rowat said that although it would need careful consideration, there were advantages to the scheme.

He said: "What we end up with at the moment is wasted product and if we can get this taken away and used, everyone benefits."

He added: "It's also helping fill the Government's recycling agenda."

The Conservators have asked Mr Doyle to put together a full business plan, which will be considered at the next land management committee meeting on November 27.