YOUNG nature enthusiasts were treated to an outdoor day of wildlife, exploration and the environment last Friday at Barton Farm, Bradford on Avon.

Nearly 40 green fingered youngsters enjoyed a willow weaving outdoor workshop, run by Wiltshire Council’s Right of Way and Countryside team.

The children harvested their own willow to build their own woodland crowns and willow wands to kick off the environmental team’s 2016 programme.

Countryside officer for Wiltshire Council, Vicky Roscoe, was delighted with the turnout and the interest shown by the young nature lovers.

“They all seemed to have a fantastic time. Everyone was really engaged, enthusiastic and it proved to be a very worthwhile experience,” she said.

“It certainly exceeded our expectations, especially for an area that is not as well-known as some of our other locations. The creativity on show was lovely to see and it was encouraging to see the kids keen to learn about nature and the environment.

“We run a whole array of countryside events throughout the year to engage with local communities and children to reconnect people with nature. For this event we started pulling together ideas for this a few months ago and the details were finalised in the last few weeks.

“I think we would definitely come back here as we really enjoyed it too. The enthusiasm was clear to see and the parents were very keen to spread the word as well.”

Their upcoming calendar includes evening bat hikes, bush craft activities, butterfly walks, nature trails, carving workshops, map reading, problem solving and much more.

For more information call 01225 718647 or email countryside@wiltshire.gov.uk