Work on youth hostel due to end

Construction work on a youth hostel in the National Forest is due to be completed later.

The hostel, located at Moira in Leicestershire close to the Conkers outdoor centre, would open later in the summer, managers said.

It is hoped the £3.2m, 75-bed hostel will attract up to 15,000 overnight visitors a year.

The final piece of timber will be put in place on the outside of the building in a special ceremony.

Environmental education

A number of environmentally-friendly features have been used in the design of the hostel including solar panels and wood fuel for renewable energy.

The site will also house a camping and caravan park in the centre of the forest that covers parts of Leicestershire and Derbyshire.

A small apple orchard has been planted and will eventually be used for environmental education.

The project has been funded by East Midlands Development Agency and the Camping and Caravanning Club.