Generous householders have stumped up £2,300 to ensure walkers can continue to enjoy rambles through a leafy Bradford woodland.

Volunteers organised a house-to-house collection in Heaton, Shipley and Frizing-hall to raise money for the Heaton Woods Trust.

After rattling buckets in the autumn, the final figure has delighted members of the Trust.

Tony Emmott, chairman of the woods committee, said it is a great start to the Silver Jubilee year for the Trust which began 25 years ago as an offshoot of Heaton Township Association.

"This is a remarkable achievement bearing in mind the calls on everybody's purse and general downturn in the economic climate since the terrible events of September 11," he said.

David Astley, honorary secretary, echoed his delight at the fundraising which pays for maintenance of the woods including pruning and path repairs through most of 2002.

"It shows people really do appreciate the woods which could once have been turned into a housing estate," he said.

"I have done some walking through there over the Christmas holiday and I was pleased to see the number of people walking with families through the woods."

Heaton Woods Trust, formed as a charity in 1977, has bought much of the area so it can be preserved for the enjoyment of people in the community. Last year it spent more than £2,000 on keeping the woods in tip top condition and Mr Emmott said members have earmarked £3,000 to start a six-month programme of thinning, replanting and path work in the lower part of the woodland behind Red Beck Vale Development.

"Normally the Trust would seek grant aid for this kind of work but to process these applications is a long procedure and time-consuming," he said.

"Therefore we decided to kick-start our maintenance programme and are meeting 100 per cent of the costs involved which will assist us in obtaining grant aid."