Work has been completed on the first phase of a £20,000 scheme to preserve a woodland beauty spot for future generations.

A fence made of old motorway crash barriers has been placed around parts of the 15-acre Lady Wood in Mirfield to stop the area being wrecked by off-road vehicles and motorbikes.

The work has been carried out by Kirklees Council with the help of members of the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers, as part of the three-year scheme started last year.

The funding has been provided by the Council, Railtrack and the Forestry Commission. The wood is popular with walkers and in the past was used by Scouts for camping trips.

Council countryside officer Eric Brown said: "The residents call the area Blue Bell Wood but the paradox is the bluebells have virtually disappeared because of people on motorbikes and in off-road vehicles churning up the land, especially at weekends.

"The problem got worse and worse so we had to do something to stop the wood being lost altogether.

"There were also problems with fly-tipping, especially old tyres and building rubble, kids setting fire to trees and travellers setting up camp.''

He said the next stage would include thinning trees and felling others such as sycamore to let the natural light in to help regeneration of the wood.

Mr Brown added: "We will also be putting down terraces made from the felled trees to encourage the vegetation.

"On the steeper slopes the soil has been eroded and washed away to expose the rocks and clay underneath. This has been caused by people on motorbikes riding up and down, loosening the soil and churning up the land.

"Another problem is that Himalayan balsam and knotweed has crept into the wood from people's gardens and these will be pulled out.

"They stop the bluebells growing and also affect the growth of the trees.''

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