Farmland the size of 25 football pitches will be included in the boundary of an Oxfordshire nature reserve thanks to a £243,000 boost.

The RSPB's Otmoor nature reserve, between Bicester and Oxford, was able to buy and pay to restore the land thanks to £217,000 funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £25,000 from South Oxfordshire District Council.

A £5,000 grant for the restoration work has also been approved by the Doris Field Charitable Trust, with a commitment, in principle, to further grants of £5,000 a year for the next four years.

The former farmland will create a breeding haven for wading birds, such as lapwings and redshanks, and wintering waterfowl, such as teal, wigeon and pintails.

Restoration, planned for 2007, will involve creating a network of shallow ditches and pools, reseeding with local grasses and flower species and grazing by cattle.

Brown hairstreak butterflies, water voles and some species of dragonflies, such as the hairy dragonfly, will also benefit.

Neil Lambert, RSPB Otmoor site manager, said: "The RSPB is delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund, South Oxfordshire District Council and the Doris Field Charitable Trust recognise the important contribution the RSPB's Otmoor nature reserve is making.

"It is restoring important wetland habitats for rapidly declining species, such as lapwing and redshank.

"This new land is very close to the reserve car park and will help wheelchair users and people with disabilities get a close experience of wonderful wetland wildlife and birds."

Tessa Hilder, regional manager for HLF, said: "Few people realise that every Lottery ticket bought has the potential to help conserve wildlife.

"Over the past eight years, HLF has awarded over £2m to RSPB Otmoor and we're delighted to be able to sustain natural heritage in this way."