Free park attraction ready to open doors for nature lovers

THE finishing touches are being made to a free visitor attraction which will celebrate local wildlife.

The West Leeds Country Park Visitor Centre at Pudsey Park will open its doors to the public for the first time on Saturday, March 27. It is in the park's former aviary, which has been extended and refurbished.

The visitor centre will be a celebration of the diverse range of wildlife and habitats to be found along the West Leeds Country Park – a 19m (32km) circular trail which runs from the city centre through a green corridor heading towards Bradford before looping back towards Leeds, taking in a path past the Kirkstall Abbey and the Leeds and Liverpool Canal along the River Aire.

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Coun Andrew Carter, the leader of Leeds City Council said: "We cannot wait to get the doors open and let people come in and see all the wildlife on display and learn all about the fascinating animals and habitats to be found on their doorstep."

The visitor centre contains snapshots of key habitats along the route of the country park, with native wildlife on display including rabbits, harvest mice, brown rats, birds, moths, butterflies and fish.

Visitors can looks around a number of sections including a stone-built farmhouse barn, interactive woodland area, recreation of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal complete with lock gates, aviaries and six new aquariums holding native species of freshwater fish including trout, carp, roach, tench and pike.

Each section includes interpretation boards and educational information to help people of all ages to learn more about the animals and where they can be found in the wild along the West Leeds Country Park.