THE son of local children's writer Frederick Covins may provide his father with the inspiration for a new storybook on wildlife by creating a pond in a field near his home.

Guy Covins and wife Jane, who live in Crowcroft near Leigh Sinton, have applied for planning consent to create a the pond in front of their cottage.

They hope it will attract a variety of wildlife including toads and newts as well as fish.

Guy, who works from home as a self-employed marketing consultant, said: "We have a bit of land at the front of the house and we are trying to do something constructive with it.

"The inspiration came from a pond in Castlemorton which we particularly like, so we have devised this plan to put the pond there with the hope of encouraging wildlife.

"The soil there is clay, so we've tested it to see whether it will hold water - and it will. The idea is to try and keep it as natural as possible and the advice we have had is that without too much encouragement animals will make their way there.

"It's being designed with different levels and flows of water to encourage different wildlife. By creating curves you create less disturbance and we will develop plants and reeds."

If planning permission is granted, the pair hope to have the hole dug by November to take advantage of the winter rain to fill it.