Public asked to help turn Wellington boots into bird feeders for RSPB Saltholme

The public are being asked to take old or unwanted welly boots along to RSPB Saltholme, near Billingham.

Staff will be on hand to demonstrate how the wellies can be adapted for use at the reserve or in gardens.

Liz Morgan, from the RSPB, said: "The idea is that old wellies will be used on the reserve as bird feeders, miniature gardens for things such as herbs, or even for activities such as welly wanging."

She also appealed to the public to do as much as they can for the bird population who are adversely affected by the cold weather during the winter, encouraging them to make and hang out bird feeders.

She said: "To be honest, you can use pretty much anything that can hold bird seed.  These can include containers such as coconut shells, yoghurt pots, or plastic bottles."