New government funding has been announced to help restore a Staffordshire Moorlands wildlife site.

On World Peatlands Day, Tuesday 2 June, Staffordshire Wildlife Trust (SWT) announced a new habitat restoration project for Gun Moor, a site near Leek in The Peak District.

The site, which is owned by SWT, is home to woodcocks as well as snipe and curlew - both of which are on the brink of localised extinction.

The trust explained that years of historic artificial drainage, and a hotter drier climate, has dried out wet heath habitat, which is an uncommon habitat in Peak District National Park, and deep peat.

Jeff Sim, Head of Nature Reserves and Species Recovery at SWT, says: "Gun Moor is vital to iconic species but it's in need of significant restoration. Without intervention, we risk losing this habitat and all the wildlife it supports.

"This investment will enable us to create 24 hectacres of restored habitat. We'll rewet deep peat by blocking ditches and we'll plant moisture capturing mosses to keep water on the moor.

"Curlew needs areas like this to nest. We'll restore the wet heath by planting sphagnum mosses, cross-leaved health and bog rosemary along with other specialty plants. New native woodland on the lower slopes of the site will also provide more habitat for rare birds.

"The lesser redpolls and woodcock rely on dense native woodland and scrub to shelter and feed."

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The charity has been awarded the development phase funding - a grant of £280,000 from a £30 million investment announced by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) recently.

The funding is part of Defra's efforts to meet the country's international commitment to protect 30 per cent of land and sea for nature by 2030. It aims to help it hit its legally-binding target to restore more than 50,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitat by 2042.

Funding is dedicated to projects which will restore habitats across England's National Parks, National Landscapes, and the Broads over the next three years.

SWT will work with the Peak District National Park Authority (PDNPA) to complete the project. Work is planned to begin on site at the end of summer, once bird nesting season has finished.