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Kettering 'unloved' meadow transformed into wildlife haven

Nene Rivers Trust South Meadow on Wicksteed Park land in KetteringNene Rivers Trust
Slade Brook has been re-aligned to flow into the River Ise in Kettering

An "unloved, unutilised and inaccessible" flood meadow has been reconnected to a river to become a wildlife haven.

Nene Rivers Trust said the Slade Brook, on land owned by Wicksteed Park in Kettering, Northamptonshire, now flowed to the River Ise.

Viktor Tzikas, from the charity, said land once with "no value" would become a wetland full of biodiversity.

Wicksteed Park said the area had been "transformed" and was now accessible.

Wicksteed Park Lewis Mitchell, park ranger at Wicksteed Park, at its South MeadowWicksteed Park
Lewis Mitchell, Wicksteed's park ranger, stood on the South Meadow after the reconnection work was completed

Mr Tzikas said its £150,000 flagship project to South Meadow, which started in September, had been completed.

"It was one of the biggest schemes we've worked on in recent years. We're very proud," he said.

"We now hope it will create a more diverse habitat for fish, birds and vegetation - a wetland full of biodiversity and a wildlife haven.

"It was unmanaged land with no value. It was taken on by Wicksteed Park, who didn't know what they could do with it, so they approached us and the Environment Agency, asked for advice and it then snowballed."

Nene Rivers Trust Gravel put in the River IseNene Rivers Trust
During the project, gravel was put in the River Ise to speed up its flow

He said the meadow used to be connected to the River Ise until it was realigned for a railway line in the late 1800s.

It could never be built on, but now could "be brought back to its most natural use", he said.

Nene Rivers Trust Work on redirecting the Slade Brook in KetteringNene Rivers Trust
Building work started in September and went on for several months

Mr Tzikas said the site would work as another flood defence as it could store more water and take the pressure off the area upstream.

Robert Hunt, director of Wicksteed Park, said: "After many years of neglect the park, working alongside many partners, we've worked to reinstate many of the historic landscape features within the estate."

He said the meadow, once owned by the now defunct Kettering Borough Council, was handed over to the park.

"It's an uplifting example of collaboration and environmental stewardship that has transformed a practically unloved, unutilised and inaccessible piece of wasteland into a vibrant and open habitat for wildlife and the public."

Nene Rivers Trust The River Ise in KetteringNene Rivers Trust
Water can now flow from the Slade Brook straight into the River Ise, as it did hundreds of years ago

He added it would now be a "place that nobody walks to become a place to visit".

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