A group of Year 10 students from New Line Learning Academy in Maidstone have won high praise for their work in creating a new woodland path on the Hayle Park Nature Reserve.

As part of the school's community action week, the seven students spent four days at the park in Tovil working under the guidance of members of the Valley Conservation Society, one of the park’s trustee bodies.

VCS volunteer Dennis Usmar said: “They worked really hard and it is fantastic what they have achieved.”

They youngsters first helped clear an overgrown footpath besides Lower Crisbrook Mill Pond, then they created a new path through a wooded area around the north east boundary of the new nature reserve.

Mr Usmar said: “They worked well as a team clearing the vegetation and removing a considerable amount of dumped rubbish along the route to create a winding sheltered path going past a number of very large old trees.”

A month ago, the reserve suffered a serious setback when a gang of vandals destroyed an ancient ragstone wall.

Mr Usmar said: “After that vandalism, it was so good to have some young people prepared to help make the Loose Valley a better place. It restores your faith.”