A volunteer group devoted to the protection of built and natural environments has spoken of its delight after receiving a grant to fund a project in Stanmore.

The Harrow Heritage Trust was awarded a grant of £38,400 today by the Heritage Lottery fund, to restore Bluebell Heath, in Stanmore Common, to its former beauty.

Stephen Bolsover, chairman of the Harrow Nature Conservation Forum, said: “If you look at the aerial photos of Stanmore Common after the war, Bluebell Heath was an open space – but over the past twenty years, that has slowly been invaded by trees and secondary woodland.

"The money we received will help us clear some of this and restore it to an open area of heathland and grassland, restoring it to its former beauty, so we are totally thrilled.”

The grant will also go towards training volunteers to help out with the restoration project and creating a nature trail in the area.

Mr Bolsover added: “We were told the success rate of people getting the grant was 60 per cent - so you can imagine our delight when we found out we’d been successful.

"It’s going to be a lot of work – we are going to be very busy over the next few months removing secondary growth, but when it’s finished it will be worth it.”

For more information and contact details for the Forum see www.harrowncf.org