Rabbits banished from race track

Pupils finally get to play on their field at Ysgol y Castell in Rhuddlan

A school is preparing to hold its first sports day for three years after finding a solution to rabbits digging holes on the race track.

The creatures had been using the field at Ysgol y Castell in Rhuddlan, Denbighshire, to dig holes making it unsafe for the children to play.

An historic monument underneath the field meant only limited work could be carried out to stop the rabbits.

But after three years of negotiations, a fence has now been put up.

Acting head teacher, Joanne Evans, said, "The children have had limited space at play times because the field has been out of bounds, but now they are delighted.

"We have been able to mark out a proper track on the field ready for our sports day, the first official sports day in three years."

Fence

Ms Evans said a fence had been sunk down below ground level around two sides of the field to keep out the rabbits and badgers which also crossed there at night.

She said the school's field was situated between woodland and a housing estate and badgers after came on the land looking for food.

School officials and members of the council had to cooperate with Cadw, which looks after historic sites for the Welsh Assembly Government.

Cadw supervised the people who put up the fence, Ms Evans said, so that they did not damage any possible relics underneath.

The field has been rolled flat making it safe for the children who are preparing for their sports day.