DRINKERS at a Worcester pub have been helping a number of species of rare birds - by drinking wine.

The Nightingale's customers have won praise from the RSPB for helping to raise awareness of the decline of Portuguese cork orchards.

The decline is threatening several species of bird, prompting the Nightingale, on Evesham Road, to launch an appeal for wine corks.

The move came after the RSPB revealed plans to build a huge cork eagle to highlight the problem.

The project also aimed to show people the damage caused by the growing trend of using plastic stoppers.

The completed eagle sits in the Eden Project in Cornwall. The Nightingale and its customers collected more than 1,000 corks.

"It was great to be involved in the project from start to finish and see the significant contribution that our guests made," said landlord Darren Barson.

"We handed over several binbags full of corks."