VOLUNTEERS are being sought to help at Shropshire Wildlife Trust's six nature reserves in the Oswestry hills to help with their upkeep.

The call has been made by officials at the Trust who are looking for people to volunteer on the nature reserves in work parties on Llanymynech Rocks, Llynclys Common, Dolgoch Quarry, Bwlytai Wood, Sweeney Fen, Jones’s Rough and Craig Sychtyn.

A spokesman for Shropshire Wildlife Trust said the volunteers are needed to help carry out vital work during autumn and ahead of winter.

They said: "They all need looking after.

"Volunteering on our nature reserves is a great way to spend time outdoors, getting closer to nature and helping to improve conditions for local biodiversity.

"Now is the perfect time to join us.

"Autumn and winter are the peak seasons for conservation activity, when we go out and do what it takes to keep the flower-rich grasslands of nature reserves and other local Wildlife Sites and reserves from being engulfed by scrub.

"The work parties are led by the Oswestry Branch of Shropshire Wildlife Trust and meet two Saturdays per month – normally the first and the third.

"As of this autumn until March, there will be two extra work parties per month on Mondays, at Llynclys Quarry.

"This is part of a restoration project to enable flower-rich grassland to re-establish.

"It is a really valuable scheme, that will create a lot of new habitat beneficial to butterflies and other insects.

"A love of the outdoors and reasonable fitness are the only requirements necessary for these sessions. Tools and training are provided."

If you would like to know more, please email oswestry@shropshirewildlifetrust.org.uk or ring David Hardwick on 07791 459196.