PEOPLE living in Wyre Forest have been congratulated by a woodland conservation charity for their part in creating a new wood.

Three Cornered Wood, Areley Kings, is one of four new areas planted by the Woodland Trust in Worcestershire with the help of residents. More than 400 people were involved in the project to plant 20,000 trees in the county.

The wood at Areley Kings was planted on a four-and-a-half-acre site, formerly used for crops, bought by the trust.

The wood, which lies between the B1494 and the River Severn, features trees including oak, silver birch, alder and ash, as well as hawthorn and blackthorn, holly and hazel bushes.

Project co-ordinator Dominic Driver said: "It's a pretty little site. We've tried to return it to what it would have been like if it hadn't all been chopped down."

He added that the wood lay next to a riverbank, which attracted kingfishers, and near a hill with ancient woodland.

"More than 400 people helped to raise funds, design woodland and plant trees. It's a marvellous achievement."

Three Cornered Wood is currently closed due to foot and mouth.