Cattle return to cliff-top woods

The cattle will help restore lost wood pasture by grazing

The National Trust is to reintroduce cattle to Leigh Woods in North Somerset more than 140 years after the last herd left the cliff-top site.

Work has begun to to prepare holding pens before the six cows are brought to the woods in September.

"The fencing is purely to keep the cattle in, not to keep visitors out," said head warden Bill Morris.

Grazing will open up new views and parts of the site such as Stokeleigh Camp, a 2,000-year-old Iron Age fort.

"In all just six Red Devon cows will be introduced to roam 30 hectares of woodland," added Mr Morris.

"That's less than half of the area the trust cares for, so it's quite possible you could visit and not see them at all when you're in the woods."

Leigh Woods was saved from development when the site was bequeathed to the National Trust by George Wills of the famous Bristol tobacco empire in 1909.