A FIVE-year plan has been launched to protect the Malvern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

AONB officer David Armitage said the plan was produced in response to the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, which encourages a new approach to managing Britain's 41 ANOBs through working with local residents, agriculture, tourism.

Aubrey Manning, emeritus professor of natural history at Edinburgh University, spoke at the plan launch at St James's Church, Colwall, last Friday.

"His great theme is bringing together the range of disciplines required to manage landscape in a environmentally sustainable way and that's exactly what the AONB is about," said Mr Armitage.