Sir David Attenborough backs £1m nature reserve appeal

The reserve has been part of an industrial landscape for decades

A £1m appeal for a "once-in-a-lifetime" opportunity to buy a Nottinghamshire nature reserve has been backed by broadcaster Sir David Attenborough.

The Attenborough reserve - the area from which Sir David's family takes its name - has been put up for sale.

The 200 hectares of former sand and gravel quarries have been turned into various habitats over nearly 60 years by the local wildlife trust.

Sir David called the reserve a "symbol of hope in a challenging world".

Sir David Attenborough has made regular visits to the reserve since it opened

A spokesman for the trust said: "The reserve has been cared for almost 60 years by local charity Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust - which now has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to purchase the site.

"Sir David has a long and fruitful association with the reserve stretching back to 1966 when, as Controller of BBC Two, he returned to the village from which his family takes its name to open the reserve."

The reserve is a popular visitor destination just outside the city of Nottingham

Sand and gravel extraction in the area began in the 1920s, with the wildlife trust managing mined-out areas while work continued elsewhere, until extraction ended in 2017.

Sir David said: "Attenborough Nature Reserve is a symbol of hope in a challenging world.

"It is a natural oasis on the edge of a big city, full of remarkable and beautiful birds and other wildlife."

The trust has previously leased land from owners Cemex but both parties have now agreed to a permanent sale.