A NEW Darlington nature reserve is rapidly becoming a stronghold for endangered water voles.

Rockwell, off Haughton Road, was formally made a reserve earlier this year and brought together a number of areas of ecological importance, including Rockwell Pastures and the Skerne Restoration Project, which finished in 1998.

Darlington Borough Council is now managing the 22-hectare site with partners including the Environment Agency, Durham Wildlife Trust and Northumbrian Water.

Philip Roxby, local nature reserves officer for the council, said water voles were thriving on the site, which is the council's largest Local Nature Reserve (LNR).

The creature is endangered nationally due to the loss of its riverbank habitat and it has already become extinct in some parts of the country.

Mr Roxby said: "These kind of areas are important to all sorts of wildlife, not just water voles. We might not see the impact immediately, but in ten or twenty years it will be clear how we have helped."

Work carried out at Rockwell has included improving riverbank management and encouraging wilder areas in the scattered patches of woodland.

Mr Roxby, whose post is financed by English Nature, said: "One problem for the water vole is that people mistake them for rats and persecute them accordingly. Part of our task is to educate people that water voles are different and that they need protecting.

"Education and raising awareness is a central part of everything we do on LNRs and we try to involve the community through steering groups.

"Once people understand why areas are important, that fosters a respect and appreciation for them. "

Rockwell is encouraging use of the reserve's footpaths as a link between Haughton Road and North Road.

Residents living near all the reserves are also encouraged to report anti-social behaviour.

Rockwell, for instance, has suffered problems with motorcyclists and Mr Roxby urged people to tell police about such incidents.

Rockwell is one of four recently-designated Local Nature Reserves in Darlington.

The others are:

* Geneva Woods, a well-established woodland off Neasham Road, close to the Darlington football stadium;

* The Maidendale complex of ponds and lakes on the Firthmoor estate;

*Brankin Moor, Darlington's smallest reserves at just two hectares but the borough's best dragonfly site.