INMATES at Durham Prison are doing their bit to help some of the North-East's wildlife.

The prisoners have been building nest boxes as part of a project that will help bird populations in the region's countryside and give the inmates new skills.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) will be passing on the nest boxes free to farmers and other land managers, in an attempt to boost the fortunes of once-common countryside birds, including the tree sparrow, spotted flycatcher and willow tit.

Richy Strong, senior officer instructor at the prison, handed the first nest box to Anne Westerberg, of the RSPB, outside the main gate of the jail recently.

The charity hopes that the prison will become a regular supplier of the nest boxes, but is looking for help from a local timber merchant or supplier for donations of wood to keep the prison's workshop supplied with raw materials for the boxes.

The initiative is part of the Restorative Justice project, which involves prisoners working for the benefit of others, and is supported by the Inside Out Trust and the RSPB.

Mr Strong approached the RSPB North of England office, in Newcastle, which registered a request for nest boxes that could be put up across the region.

The RSPB provided the prison with construction plans and bought a small supply of timber from its own funds.

Now, under the supervision of Charlie Glyn and officer instructor Terry Evans, 70 nest boxes have rolled off the prison's production line.

RSPB regional director Andy Bunten said: "The RSPB is very grateful to HMP Durham for setting up the nest box construction scheme."