A NEW "attractively wild" nature reserve has been gifted to Cumbria Wildlife Trust which is home to a rare blood-sucking creature.

The 106-acre Lowick Common, near Lowick Green, north of Ulverston, is the largest area of land ever to have been given to the conservation charity.

It was formally handed over to the trust by villager Yvonne Miller, who said: “We were fortunate to buy Lowick Common in 1990 after living at the edge of it for 20 years.

"My late husband, Jim, had roots spanning many generations living in the Crake Valley and he had a deep love of the area and its wildlife.

"It is a great joy to the family that we can hand Lowick Common over to Cumbria Wildlife Trust who will protect and care for the habitats and myriad of species so that future generations are able to enjoy it.”

The common is home to a number of species including the medicinal leech which live in one of the tarns, one of the few places in Cumbria they can be found.

Other wildlife to be found living there are great crested newt, 15 species of dragonfly and damselfly, the small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly, slow worms, adders and birds like redpoll, spotted flycatcher and yellowhammer.

Among the special habitats found on the reserve are lowland heath and acid grassland with some areas of lowland fen.

Peter Bullard, Director of Cumbria Wildlife Trust, said: “This is a wonderful gift to the trust and to the people and wildlife of Cumbria and we are extremely grateful to Yvonne.

"Lowick Common is already great for wildlife, having been looked after so well by the Miller family. Our next steps are to set up surveys so we can monitor the wildlife and check that any changes we make have a positive impact, and to maintain clearer paths over the nature reserve to allow people to visit all year round.”

He added that the land is attractively wild with spectacular views up Coniston Water towards Coniston Old Man. From the summit, Lowick Beacon, it is also possible to look south over Morecambe Bay towards Blackpool. Among the special habitats found on the reserve are lowland heath and acid grassland with some areas of lowland fen, along with a number of small tarns, one of which is home to the medicinal leech. This is one of the few places in Cumbria you can find these water-based, blood-sucking animals.