Nature reserve bought for £1.5m

Sutton Fen is on the upper reaches of the River Ant

The future of a nature reserve on the Norfolk Broads has been secured after the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) bought it for £1.5m.

Sutton Fen is said to be one of the finest examples of unpolluted valley fen in Western Europe and one of the most important nature sites in the UK.

The money was raised by grants and public donations after an appeal was launched in October.

The 200-hectare site is home to an array of birds, insects and plants.

Bitterns, marsh harriers, garganey and Cetti's warbler are among birds which flourish there, alongside insects including Norfolk Hawker dragonflies and swallowtail butterflies.

Cranes have bred nearby and the RSPB said it hopes they can be encouraged to use the site in future.

Graham Wynne, RSPB chief executive, said: "The chance to give long-term protection to a site as magnificent as this only comes along once in a generation.

"It is wonderful to have the opportunity to look after what is nothing less than a national treasure."