A SUNNY Easter Monday morning in Ledbury saw the official opening of the Abberley Hills and Malvern Geopark.

The park has been set up to make people aware of the rich geological heritage of the area.

Ledbury mayor Keith Francis performed the opening ceremony at the Burgage Hall, in Church Lane, which was filled with displays reflecting the area's geological diversity.

Later that morning, the Burgage Hall was packed by an eager and inquisitive audience for a lecture entitled The Journey of the Geopark through One Billion Years of Earth History, by Eddie Bailey.

Mr Bailey, a professional geologist for Tarmac plc, enthralled listeners with his account of how the Geopark's structure evolved.

His innovative computer graphics brought difficult concepts to life and illustrated how the area, which was to become England and Wales, moved to and fro across the globe at the whims of continental drift.

Elsewhere in the town, there was a fossil and rock roadshow, where visitors were able to bring their own puzzling geological specimens along and have them identified by experts.

Events continued on Tuesday with a guided geology trail through the town and a second trail, visiting nearby sites of geological interest.