RESIDENTS pitched in to lay a 40-metre long hedge haven for wildlife at Rose Hill’s nature reserve.

The hawthorn hedge was re-laid along the Rivermead Road side of Rivermead Nature Reserve in Rose Hill.

Hedge-layer Hefin Davies taught 30 residents the ancient woodland craft on Monday and Tuesday.

He said: “It went very well, it is a lovely hedge. It had been there for 26 years and it was starting to die out and was very overgrown.

“It’s now very good for small birds to nest, insects and field mice to use.

“A seven-year-old boy with his mum and grandmother even helped out.”

The project was part of Oxford City Council’s Cleaner, Greener Rose Hill campaign, which started on October 14.