Shropshire land trust bidding to buy Norbury Hill

Norbury Hill is between the Stiperstones and Long Mynd in Shropshire

A community land trust is bidding to buy an "important site of conservation".

Norbury Hill, situated between the Stiperstones and Long Mynd in Shropshire, has an asking price of about £200,000.

The Middle Marches Community Land Trust wants to bring the 94 acres back into public ownership and has raised most of the funds it needs.

The trust is appealing for pledges to find the last £50,000 in 24 hours.

Oliver Goode, from the land trust, said: "It [the hill] used to be wonderful flowerage meadow, which has gradually diminished over time.

"What we want to do is bring the whole meadow back into its former glory so it can provide the biodiversity, so that plants and insects can come together to improve it."

Mr Goode said they had learnt about the sale of the hill "very late on" so had a race against time to raise the funds.

He said: "We really do feel this is a golden opportunity to make a big impact and show people how by treating our land differently we can bring nature back in."

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"The trust would take control of it and hold it on behalf of local people... it would be owned by local people in perpetuity."

A National Trust scheme called Stepping Stones says Norbury Hill is the link between two important sites of conservation.