A COMPANY that provides social services is to transform the grounds at its headquarters into a nature reserve.

The Cares Group moved into the Old Hall, pictured above, at Byers Green near Spennymoor, County Durham, in 1996 and has since acquired 75 acres of former farmland surrounding the building.

Now the company is drawing up plans to create a range of habitats on the land, which is on the edge of the village and slopes down to the River Wear from the hall.

The Cares Group provides social work services, including registered children's homes, fostering and custody care escorting duties.

It was founded by husband and wife Dave and Lil Cassie, who are keen environmentalists and have been working on a plan for the site with organisations including the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the Environment Agency and Durham Wildlife Trust.

The Cares Group already sponsors the trust's wetlands preservation programme.

The couple have planted 250 trees, with more planned, and erected 40 nest boxes for endangered tree sparrows, which thrive on their land.

Other projects due to start within the next two months include the creation of a series of linked wetland areas and a wildflower meadow.

Mr Cassie said: "The site is already very good for wildlife.

"For instance, we have an ancient hedgerow which is one of the oldest in County Durham and has some rare species of plants.

"The area is also rich in voles and shrews which attracts hunting birds like owls and kestrels, and kingfishers have been spotted.

"What we want to do is improve what is already there."

Mrs Cassie said the idea was to restore the site to as natural a state as possible and allow people to come and enjoy it.

Parts of the Grade II-listed Old Hall date back to the 12th Century - it was at one time home to the famous Bobby Shafto - and local people have walked across the land for centuries.

Mrs Cassie said: "We do not believe in having highly manicured sites, they serve no purpose.

"What we are trying to do is achieve a natural area where people can continue to visit, as they have done for 1,000 years, and which is compatible with what we are trying to do."

There are also plans to allow a variety of organisations such as Durham Bird Club to visit the site to observe some of its species.

Mr Cassie said: "We want people to come and look at what we have done here.

We are not the type of people who fence land off.

"People are welcome as long as they respect the site and we hope children from local schools will come as well."