PUPILS from Bromsgrove School have been working hard to improve the quality of Bromsgrove's water by creating a new wetland near the Deansway Road.

On June 22, children planted a variety of native wet-loving plants, and made shallow depressions to help guide water through and trap pollution before it reaches the Battlefield Brook.

The work is part of Worcestershire Wildlife Trust's Love Your River Bromsgrove project, and is expected to improve the state of the brook for both people and wildlife.

It is hoped the new wetland will slow water flow, hold more water during floods and cleanse it before it enters the brook. It should also provide extra food for water voles that make their home along the brook.

Lucy Wood, water and wetland officer for the trust, said: “It’s been great to see the work unfold over the last few weeks. We’ve removed the ‘wings’ of the nearby concrete storm drain that currently ejects water from nearby roads straight into the Battlefield Brook. The pipe has been sealed off and the water re-directed so that the newly created wetland can do its job.

“Having local schoolchildren along to help with these final stages is fantastic – they’ll get to spend time outside and learn why it’s so important to look after what’s right on your doorstep.”

Work began to remove the nearby concrete outflow pipe and create the wetland in early May.

Love Your River Bromsgrove has already trained 27 volunteers to monitor the quality of the brook, alongside dozens of "river rangers" in three Bromsgrove schools.

For more information about the project, visit worcswildlife.co.uk/lyr.