A local sculptor has created a limestone lookalike which could help to save some of the most precious landscape in the country. Bill Jordan is creating exact copies of limestone rocks which form part of the rare limestone pavements at places like Malham Cove, near Skipton.

His creation has been welcomed by the Yorkshire Dales National Park, who hope it will help stop the illegal raiding of limestone outcrops to supply rocks for gardens.

Limestone pavement is extremely rare worldwide, and the Dales have half of all the UK examples. The stone is protected, and thieves face imprisonment and a fine if caught removing it.

Mr Jordan, of Oakworth, has devised a way of making exact replicas and the product is being marketed by Keigh-ley-based Abbey Art Stone.

His efforts have also been praised by landscape gardeners, and the rocks will be used to create a replica Dales landscape at the Chelsea Flower Show later this spring.

Mr Jordan said: "This is a substitute for the real thing and nobody will be able to tell the difference until they pick it up - it's relatively light.

"It has taken time to get it exactly right - to make sure the texture is spot on and the colour is right. The colour is not painted on, but is actually part of the material."

To get his moulds, he used old limestone from gardens and also got permission from the national park to take exact copies on site. I'd defy anyone to tell the difference between a rock from Malham and my examples," he said.

"Limestone pavement is the rarest landscape in the country, but it's still being broken up despite the law. Now we have this substitute, there is no excuse for anyone to accept the real thing.

"People can now make up their own limestone pavement in their gardens," he added.

The product has already sparked a lot of interest in the industry and will be sold in garden centres and by mail order.

Mr Jordan is now looking forward to the exhibition at Chelsea, which will resemble a Yorkshire Fell and possibly include sound effects, such as the call of the skylark and curlew.

A spokesman for the Yorkshire Dales National Park said limestone pavement was still being removed against the law. By creating a substitute Mr Jordan will be able to offer gardeners an alternative to the real thing, with the added peace of mind that limestone pavement has not been damaged," he said.