AN initiative aimed at conserving churchyards housing valuable plants and animals has been backed by two Wyre Forest parishes.

Worcestershire's Living Churchyards has been launched by the Worcester diocese and the county council's countryside service to promote, advise and carry out management of churchyards to benefit nature conservation. Rev Andrew Vessey, of Areley Kings Church, helping to bring his churchyard to life.

So far, 15 parishes including Areley Kings and Stourport are taking part in the scheme which was launched in May.

County council projects officer Adrian Roper said: "Wildflower rich grasslands have disappeared dramatically in the British countryside over the last 50 years largely due to agricultural intensification.

"However, our churchyards act as remnants of such valuable grassland. Having never been enriched by fertilisers, they are an important sanctuary for a lot of plants and animals rarely seen today."

The project aims to encourage and advise on the best way to manage their grassland for the benefit of rare plants and animals, as well as advising on a range of other habitats found in the churchyard including walls, headstones and trees.