POST Office worker Jonathan Barnett is swapping the sorting office for the Eston Moor every Monday morning to gain a honours degree.

Mr Barnett, who works as a nightshift sorter for Royal Mail Parcelforce at Middlesbrough, is among the army of countryside volunteers recruited by Redcar and Cleveland Council.

The Open University student, in his third year of a BSc (Hons)in Environmental Studies, is working in Eston Moors varied wildlife and habitats, with his eyes on a new career, centred on the environment.

He said: "I needed to devise and execute a project on aspects of the environment and Eston Hills immediately came to mind."

The study - the management of Eston Moor and the challenges faced by the councils countryside service - has been welcomed by the Countryside and Public Rights of Way Section.

David Spencer, the Countryside Projects Officer, who is currently undertaking bird and butterfly surveys on the lowland heath of Eston Moor, will involve Jonathan in a range of activities.

He said: "We feed data into regional and national statistics to monitor important habitats and the species living in them and we've got photographic surveys and assessments of the site planned for the summer, which Jonathan will be playing a major role in."

Anyone interested in taking part in volunteer activities at the councils three popular countryside sites at Flatts Lane, Guisborough Forest and Walkway and Saltburn Woodland Centre, should contact Countryside Officer Dawn Ferrer on 01642-459629.