A new green-minded action group has been set up to protect the wealth of nature in Eldwick’s 150-year-old park.

The fledgling Friends of Prince of Wales’ Park was formed last month following an article on the 20-acre space by local historian Allan Mirfield.

“Basically I wrote a piece on the history of the park for the village’s free news sheet and on the back of that I was contacted by two people, Ruth Lehman and Susan Stead - who is part of Bradford’s Urban Wildlife Group – and we decided to set up a something ourselves,” Mr Mirfield said. The People’s Park, as it was first known, was renamed the Prince of Wales’ Park and work started on the project on March 10, 1863.

“It is a really interesting park because the top half is pure moorland while the lower half is formal and ornamental gardens,” Mr Mirfield said.

“There are lots of features, stone staircases, walls and paths which are formal or have just been created over time.

“We decided to set up a ‘Friends of’ group along the lines of the Friends of Harold Park in Wibsey, or the Friends of St Ives – who we contacted and both were very helpful in giving us advice on how to go about applying for grants and suchlike.

“And also Bradford Council’s parks department were very encouraging and pretty much told us to get on with it,” Mr Mirfield said.

He said the group was at a very early stage and keen for people to come forward with ideas about how to protect and develop the park.

“We can be reached via our site on Facebook and at this time we’re working on a plan of action about how to go forward.”

Or in keeping with the tradition of the park, anyone can go along to an informal outdoor meeting in the Old Quarry Area off the main drive on Sunday at 2pm for Friends of Prince of Wales’ Park, Mr Mirfield said.