Cows could live on city's common

Cows may be moved on to a Cambridge common as part of plans to turn it into a nature reserve.

It is hoped grazing will encourage plants such as field scabious. Water voles and kingfishers should benefit from improvements to the brook.

Cambridge City Council wants to create the reserve on part of Coldham's Common, which is next to a wildlife site and nature reserve.

Part of the area is used as a campsite for the Cambridge Folk Festival.

The council's community reserves officer, Ellis Selway, said: "This is one of 12 new local nature reserves that the city is looking to create over the next seven years, a key action of our nature conservation strategy.

"The existing landscape character of the site will not change and some of the area will still be used for the folk festival campsite."

Council officers are holding public exhibitions and guided tours to explain the proposal, and the consultation will run until 31 July.