AN allotment association in the Wear Valley has been awarded a £600 grant to improve a wildlife area.

The Shell Better Britain Campaign has given the cash to the Rosedale and Victoria Allotment Society to make further improvements at its award-winning Willington site.

The money will be spent on buying and erecting an information board and completing the path and planting around the nature pond.

The development of the wildlife area was initially funded by the Shell Better Britain Campaign in 2001.

The campaign supports communities taking action for sustainable development, provides grants to organisations and supports a network of 26,000 communities across the UK.