Cornish wetland created to alleviate flooding

A milestone has been reached in the creation of an intertidal habitat in Cornwall.

A 15-metre breach has been made in a bank in the Tamar estuary so that the tide can flood low-grade farmland, creating new wetland.

The embankment was built in 1850 to allow the land to be drained for agriculture, but the National Trust is now returning the land to nature.

The project will also help alleviate flooding during high tides or heavy rains by creating more space for water.

The habitat will attract a wide range of wildlife including worms and a range of wild birds, such as shelduck, redshank and teal ducks.