New hedges have proven a welcome boost for wildlife at one of Macclesfield's most popular beauty spots.

Volunteer tree planting teams have been busy at Riverside Park, with well over 300m of hedgerow planted over the last few months.

The park one of several sites across the county chosen by the Campaign to Protect Rural England's Cheshire group following a successful bid for Hedgerow Heroes funding.

Jonathan Clarke, chair of CPRE Cheshire, said: "Riverside Park was a great location for a Hedgerow Heroes project.

"The new hedges will link up existing woodland, providing habitat and travel corridors for wildlife.

"They will also enhance the landscape by screening stretches of railway embankment and railway line.

"The trees planted are a mixture of native species selected as appropriate for the site, with biodegradable tree guards providing protection from hungry rabbits!"

Planting sessions were planned and led by experts from The Conservation Volunteers and the Cheshire East Council ranger team.

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Among those to volunteer at Riverside park were a group of year six children from Bollinbrook CE Primary School.

In total, CPRE Cheshire plan to deliver 2km of new and restored hedgerow across the region this winter.

Nationally, Hedgerow Heroes is in its fifth year and has so far planted or restored over 66 miles of hedgerow - with a further 200,000 trees being added over the coming months.

Jonathan added: "The campaign continues to demonstrate the power of community action in the face of the climate and biodiversity crisis.

"Hedgerows are biodiversity hot spots, providing food, habitat and movement corridors for a rich variety of wildlife.

"They also lock in carbon, improve the soil, and help prevent flooding and erosion.

"On top of that, they are beautiful, stitching together our countryside and adding greenery to the landscape."