Cash for urban wildlife project

A surprising amount of wildlife can be found in urban areas

A project to encourage people living in urban areas in the north east of England to appreciate wildlife has been awarded more than £300,000.

Three wildlife trusts - Northumberland, Durham and Tees Valley - have joined forces for the Wildplaces initiative.

It aims to get people involved in the identification and conservation of local species and habitats on a voluntary basis.

The £309,500 grant comes from the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The project will focus on sites in Newcastle, Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland and Middlesbrough which have urban green space.

Dr Keith Bartlett, head of the Heritage Lottery Fund for the North East, said: "We are delighted to support Wildplaces, which sees the Wildlife Trusts adopting an excellent joint approach for the first time to a project of this kind.

"The project should really help people in urban areas become involved with and learn about their wildlife heritage often for the first time."