VOLUNTEERS who are caretakers of a nature reserve which is due to be sold to make way for a new school have said they are "delighted" and hope to work with the school in the future.
Friends of Nature’s World are a community group, established in 2014 to protect, restore and promote the Nature’s World Secret Gardens at Sandy Flatts Lane, Middlesbrough.
The group has grown from four to more than 30 volunteers, who have been working hard to create new habitats for wildlife and open up the gardens to the public for free conservation-based events throughout the year.
They work in partnership with local charity Hoggy Stockton Rescue to release rehabilitated hedgehogs and hope that the plan for a school to be built on the land, will safeguard the rest of the site as a protected nature reserve for future generations.
Volunteer Scarlet Pink said: “We are delighted that a new school is to be built to benefit children with special needs. We feel it is an appropriate compromise and use for part of the site. We are hopeful that the sale of land will safeguard the future of the nature reserve and ensure it will remain a thriving volunteer hub, habitat for wildlife and accessible for community events.
"We look forward to working with the school."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here