PEOPLE in the Gaunless Valley are being urged to make their mark on the future of a new wildlife haven by adding a flavour of the site's industrial past.

The Environment Agency is including information boards, sculptures and seats in its scheme to transform industrial land between West Auckland and Ramshaw into a wetland habitat, including reed beds, wet woodlands and flower meadows.

Design sessions will be held during a Nature on Your Doorstep event on the 11-acre site next Saturday.

The event, which is part of the agency's Accessing Wetlands and Beyond project, includes a talk by naturalist Terry Coult on the history of Durham's wetland plants and animals.

This will be followed by a guided walk of the site, which was an important mining area serviced by the old Haggerleases branch railway.

Biodiversity team leader Jim Heslop said: "We want people to help us transform this former industrial land into a mosaic of valuable wetland that everyone can enjoy."

Last month, Chris Lloyd, The Northern Echo's assistant editor, gave a talk about the industrial history of the area and people were urged to take their old photographs and newspaper cuttings.

Among the pictures was a photograph of how the wetland used to look with the railway line running through it.

Accessing Wetlands and Beyond is receiving a grant of more than £90,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund, as part of the Mineral Valleys Project.

Nature on Your Doorstep starts at noon at the Bridge Inn, Ramshaw. After the talk, a minibus will take people to the site, returning at 3.30pm. The event is free and lunch is provided.