Finedon engineering site transforms into nature reserve

Councillors Harriet Pentland, Clive Hallam and Lora Lawman came together with the community to plant the trees

About 1,200 trees have been planted at an unused former heavy engineering site in the latest stage of it being turned into a new nature reserve.

Network Rail (NR) hopes the site in Finedon, Northamptonshire, will "attract birds, butterflies and bees".

Work started in April after the electrification of the adjacent East Midlands railway line was completed.

It will also contain ponds to make it the "right habitat for great crested newts", an NR spokeswoman said.

So far about 1,200 trees have been planted

Hamish Critchell-Ward, environmental manager for NR, said: "It's really exciting to see the difference already - from a heavy engineering site to a tranquil home for nature.

"The landscaping was carried out earlier this year, but we needed to wait for the change in the weather to give the trees and other vegetation the best chance of survival."

Michael Whitehead, principal environmentalist at Amey Consulting, which worked with NR on the development, said the "unused" area would now "give a wealth of benefits".

"While favouring great crested newts, the landscaping and tree planting by our willing band of volunteers should encourage a biodiverse range of flora and fauna to thrive on the land for many years to come."

The nature reserve is right by the East Midland route that has been electrified from Bedford to Corby