Dogs restricted at wildlife site

Cows are very protective of calves and can potentially harm dogs and people

Restrictions on dogs have been brought in at a nature site in Byfleet to boost numbers of ground-nesting skylarks and to guard against charging cattle.

Surrey Wildlife Trust, which bought Manor Farm this year, said dogs were to be kept on a lead on all paths and were allowed off the lead in one field only.

The charity said it hoped walkers would understand the changes were for their own safety and to benefit wildlife.

Assistant ranger James Herd said he hoped owners would continue to visit.

He said the wildlife trust was trying to boost breeding skylarks at the site, which was likely to be undermined if dogs were roaming free.

Mr Herd said cattle had also been introduced because grazing would create a more diverse habitat - the restored farmland site is a wet meadow habitat, which is rare in Surrey.

Cows could be very protective of calves and could potentially harm a dog or pet-owner, if they were in the same field, Mr Herd added.