Work begins to restore stream for fish and wildlife

Work has begun to improve a stream to encourage more wildlife and migrating fish to return to the area.

Lustrum Beck in Stockton, Teesside, has been heavily modified over the years, resulting in the loss of habitats and restricting fish movement.

Tees Rivers Trust chief executive Ben Lamb said on the surface it seemed "devoid of life" but actually contained shrimp, the endangered European eel, otters, kingfishers and water vole.

The Environment Agency (EA) said it hoped the work would encourage nature to flourish.

The project is part of the £30m Tees Tidelands Programme, which aims to help the River Tees estuaries and tributaries adapt to climate change and improve habitats.

The work will span just under a mile (1.5km) of the river and includes lowering embankments to connect the beck to riverside ponds.

Mr Lamb said: "There is a huge amount of work to be done to improve the beck and this project will create more habitat and flow diversity within the channel which will provide more opportunity for a range of species to thrive."

Shallow dips, called scrapes, will also be created to collect water and provide habitats for wildlife such as wading birds.

The organisation's project executive Paul Eckersley said the work would "bring a welcome boost to biodiversity in the heart of Stockton after decades of modification".

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