TWO beauty spots have been given local nature reserve status to bring back animal and plant life.

Eatock Lodge and Cunningham Clough, both in Westhoughton, will be turned into designated areas of preservation by English Nature's New Opportunity project.

It is also hoped Bolton Wildlife Trust can use the new status to attract grant funding for projects in each of the parks.

The trust has breathed life into Westhoughton's Hall Lee Bank Park over three years with tree and flower planting, footpath renewal and a clean-up which has seen the area turn into a haven for wildlife. It was made a local nature reserve earlier this year.

Nature officer Ben Hargreaves said: "At both sites there will be fairly extensive work and we hope to repeat the successes we have had with Hall Lee Bank Park."

Bolton Wildlife Trust are also holding a tree planting event at Hall Lee Bank Park on Sunday, October 10.

Members of the public are invited to join in with the planting between 1.30pm and 4pm. For more details phone 01204 361847.