MEMBERS of Norley Wildlife Group have showcased some of their recent work in the village to MP Mike Amesbury.

Mike, representative for Weaver Vale, visited the group last week after echoing concerns over plans for 67 lodges in Delamere Forest.

The plans were approved following a planning appeal, but Mike asked the group to show him more of their work.

He and his son Ted were joined by Norley Parish Council chairman Deryn O'Connor, Norley Wildlife Group's Phil Gifford, and Vanessa Mayatt OBE.

After meeting at St John's church – the start of the Norley Wildflower Memorial Walk – the trip took in 'Wildwood', where the group has planted more than 1,000 native bluebell bulbs and installed nest and bat boxes.

The party also visited nearby Breech Moss – an area of common land which less than 50 years ago was still a schwingmoor but had since deteriorated to such an extent it was not included in the Lost Mosses project.

Phil said: "Mike was most complimentary about the work of NWG, and thought the Norley Wildflower Memorial Walk was a wonderfully creative way of commemorating the sacrifice of the Norley men who died in the Great War.

"He was enthused too about Breech Moss and could see how restoring it to mossland would indeed make it a habitat as magical and precious as its neighbouring now thriving Flaxmere Moss a designated Site of Special Scientific interest (SSSI)

"Mike undertook to do all he could to help Norley restore Breech Moss and saw that getting the necessary funds for the assessment was the key in this endeavour.

"Mike's son Ted showed a keen interest in the wildlife seen on the walk, especially the birds. Sadly no woodcocks were evident at Breech Moss but he found a rook's glossy black wing feather.

"The normally cacophonous rookery was now strangely quiet, but Mike took in good part that the collective noun for rooks was a parliament – possibly they were in recess too."

The work to restore Breech Moss is being undertaken by NWG and the Cheshire Wildlife Trust, with the support of the parish and borough councils.

The programme includes the removal of rubbish and invasive weeds such as rhododendron Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed.

After a lot of hard work, it is now essentially a damp woodland but there is now some potential to restore the site back to Mossland. Such restoration will require the removal of trees and shrubs and raising the water level in the moss.

A hydrological assessment and survey must be carried out before the water level is allowed to rise.

The parish council is now hoping to obtain support for funding this hydrological assessment from CWAC and, depending on the results, to support a mossland restoration project which would cost around £5,000 and involve continued voluntary work.