Delight at nature reserve's Tolkien Gates revamp

Tim Tolkien (left) joined councillor Sally Garner, Wolverhampton mayor Craig Collinswood, Terry Holdcroft and two other councillors for the unveiling

Metal gates created by the great-nephew of JRR Tolkien for a Wolverhampton nature reserve have been officially unveiled after a community-led project to restore them.

The Tolkien Gates at the entrance to Smestow Valley Local Nature Reserve had been neglected and needing repairing after being designed by artist Tim Tolkien in the 1990s.

Local resident Terry Holdcroft set about fundraising and cleaning them initially after enjoying walking in the reserve with his wife before her death.

With help from council ward funds, about £3,000 was raised to also cut back trees and improve the area ahead of the official unveiling on Saturday with Tolkien joining them.

The restoration of the gates, which were also designed with the help of the University of Wolverhampton School of Art and Smestow Academy students, involved cleaning, repainting and realigning them at their base.

Volunteers helped clean and repair the gates in the summer

They feature woodland animals, flora and fauna, and people bird-watching and working in gardens.

John Rowley, a trustee of The Friends of Smestow Valley Local Nature Reserve said he was "absolutely delighted" by the project's completion.

"I didn't realise just how beautiful they are," he said.

"They had grit and moss growing over them and we obviously clean them from time to time but I've never seen them like this.

"It's a new focus we can use to get people talking about Tolkien's stories and the Black Country and another thing for people to see in the reserve, the history we have and of course the beautiful wildlife we have."

Councillor Sally Garner, for the Tettenhall Wightwick ward who was involved in the restoration project, said it was uplifting to see them returned to their former glory.

"Terry started this and it was cathartic for him and in memory of his wife Sylvia and it's spread from that," she said.

"The nature reserve is a lovely place and needs to be cared for and it reaches out to lots of people who come and enjoy it."

Volunteers helped clean them over the summer and the council thanked them for their "tireless work and commitment".