Project to protect rare spider found in park

The diamond spider was found by two trust volunteers on heath land at Clumber Park in 2017

A spider species found in a Nottinghamshire park after it was presumed extinct will be protected by a new conservation project.

The diamond spider was discovered by two volunteers at Clumber Park, Worksop, in 2017 while they were carrying out an ecological survey on heathland.

Before then, it had not been seen in the UK since it was spotted in 1969.

The National Trust said it was working with the British Arachnological Society on research to ensure its survival.

So-called due to its markings, the diamond spider's habitat is boggy areas with moss, purple moor grass and heather.

Carl Hawke, nature conservation adviser at the National Trust, said the research was receiving funding from Natural England's nature recovery programme.

And he said the findings "will be crucial to our understanding of the critically-endangered species".

"One of the mysteries is why it has not previously been found before and why it’s only here in Nottinghamshire," he said.

"Our aim is to learn more so that we can create habitats elsewhere on the park too so that [it] can grow and thrive."