FIVE farmers, and two wildlife conservation groups are celebrating after the Environment Agency agreed to review whether a tidal barrage on the River Derwent was affecting rare ancient hay meadows.

In an out of court settlement, the agency said it did not accept it was legally required to review the operation of Barmby barrage under the European habitats directive.

However, it agreed to the review demanded by the North Yorkshire farmers, the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and the World Wide Fund for Nature, which insisted that the Ings was suffering because of the barrage.

They said the artificially high water levels in the river, required to be at a minimum depth of 4ft, stopped the Ings draining naturally and harmed the wildflower meadows, preventing early spring growth.

The meadows were internationally important, because they had been managed in the same way since Saxon times and made up 10pc of one of Britain's rarest type of wildflower-rich hay meadows.

Mr Peter Floyd, from Hall Garth Farm at East Cottingworth, said: "I'm delighted. Over the past three years, on one of the Ings, I had to leave a third of my hay crop uncut because the ground was too wet."

Mr David Burges, WWF senior wildlife campaigner, said the result meant the Environment Agency would have to examine the effects of the barrage and, if necessary, review its operation to safeguard wildlife on the site.

Lime avenue for West Witton

AN AVENUE of lime trees has been completed on the approach to West Witton, following planting by volunteers at the weekend.

Wensleydale branch of the Council for the Protection of Rural England, with help from the Tree Council, put in bare-rooted transplants by the A684 on Saturday.

The work was the second and final phase of an avenue, which now graces both sides of the road. It is already known affectionately as Humphrey's avenue, after the late Mr Humphrey Thornton-Berry, who planted many trees through the village and on the Swinithwaite estate.

Mr Jeff Mackley, branch secretary, said: "It may be thought risky to reintroduce deciduous lime trees at this altitude, but the pilot scheme of last year has prospered. We look forward to future operations in the higher valleys of tributaries of the river Ure to provide gill glades of mixed trees to conserve the river flows."

McDonald's

goes up

A NEW drive-through restaurant bringing up to 60 jobs has risen at Leeming Bar, only nine weeks after work began.

A one-acre plot leased from The Lodge beside the northbound A1 was chosen by McDonald's. It will have a mixture of full- and part-time jobs.

Work began on October 2, and by last Friday prefabricated sections delivered by lorry were being lifted into place by crane. The 24-hour operation is due to serve its first customers next Friday.

The £1m development has its own road leading to 58 car parking spaces and has been accompanied by improved traffic management measures.