STUNNING, colourful wildflowers have been planted on estates across a North East town to attract bio-diversity.

The flowers have transformed the area and brought a mix of colours and have been welcomed by residents.

The partnership project between housing provider Thirteen and Middlesbrough Council has brought a splash of colour to 35,000 square metres of land over more than ten estates in the town.

The flowers, now in full bloom have formed a wildflower trail from Brambles Farm to Netherfields and across to Hemlington.

Full of bees and butterflies, the wildflowers line the grass verges for everyone to enjoy.

The Northern Echo:

Thirteen’s environmental specialist John Woods said: “Bringing wildflowers into our communities and gardens has many benefits that are really important to us at Thirteen. It looks beautiful, it’s great for people’s mental health and wellbeing and it can help us all connect with nature.

“However, wildflowers attract bees, and we know that bees are sadly on a decline. A major reason for this is loss of habitat. Bees are one of our most important pollinators. Their hard work pollinates over 70 per cent of the food that we eat, so every patch of wildflowers that we add to the community makes a real difference to the survival of these wonderful insects.

“Taking action to manage the environment, reduce the impact of climate change and support biodiversity is our priority.

“This is just one of many projects which will improve the environment for our customers, creating more natural habitats for wildlife and a stronger ecosystem.”

Cllr Barrie Cooper, Middlesbrough Council’s Executive Member for Environment, Finance and Governance, said: “The wildflowers make a lovely display and bring numerous environmental benefits as well as making areas more attractive. We’re really grateful for the work put in by the team at Thirteen to make it happen.”