An innovative project to increase the range of plants in Pershore has begun.

The project hopes to restore traditional hay meadow flowers and plants to the fields around Avon Meadows Community Wetlands and Local Nature Reserve.

Grass cuttings taken from the roadside verge nature reserve network, managed by Worcestershire County Council have been spread across the meadows.

It is hoped this will bring a new and diverse mix of plants and flowers to the area.

Liz Etheridge, wildlife projects officer, at Wychavon District Council said: "We’re really hopeful that this project will work and bring us an exciting new mix of wild flowers to the meadows.

"Having a good mix really does help the local wildlife, especially wild pollinators which we have in abundance, but we’re always looking for more diversity for the area.

"We have everything crossed hoping it will work, but we won’t know until next spring/summer at the earliest if it has.”

Avon Meadows Community Wetlands and Local Nature Reserve was created after the devastating floods in 2007 to help reduce the impact of any future floods that come from too much surface water.

The project to create the wetlands was developed jointly by Pershore Town Council, Wychavon District Council and Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. Out of this partnership project the Friends of Avon Meadows were formed, a local community volunteer group, now a Charitable Incorporated Organisation, who continue to support the management of Avon Meadows.