NEARLY 100 volunteers surged together to help transform a part of the Lake District.

Volunteers at the mass-volunteering Duddon Fell Care Day event last Thursday made a significant difference to the Duddon Valley.

Organised by Friends of the Lake District, 91 volunteers, task leaders and Friends of the Lake District staff turned up on the day to rebuild walls, plant new wildlife and build bridges, all with the intention of improving and managing the ecological footprint of the area.

Ruth Kirk, organiser of the event said: "It was truly rewarding to see so many happy, tired, smiling, mud-streaked faces at the end of day, sharing tales over a brew and a slice of cake.

"Our Fell Care Days bring together people of all ages and abilities from near and far; all with a shared purpose to put something back into protecting a landscape they love.

"Between them they completed 487 hours of work in just one day; the equivalent of 70 days’ work. We’d like to say a massive well done and thank you to everyone who took part."

On the day, they planted 500 native trees from Alder, Aspen, Rowan and Hawthorn and removed another 400 non-native trees such as Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock, which can significantly impact on native wildlife.

They were also able to rebuild five metres of drystone walling, construct two water gates, restore 400 m of fencing, construct six tree cages, build one foot bridge, clear 16km of upland paths, clear 100 m of vegetation from the forest edge footpath and dig out three drains.

A spokesperson for the Friends of the Lake District said: "We believe that the Lake District offers some of the most spectacular and precious landscapes in England.

"We take action to protect and conserve the natural beauty of these landscapes for the benefit of visitors, local communities, wildlife and habitats."

Tasks at the event were supported by the National Trust, Lake District National Park Authority, Forestry Commission, Restoring Hardknott Forest Project and Fix the Fells, and cake was donated by Ginger Bakers and David Willan Fine Foods from Kendal.

Friends of the Lake District’s Fell Care Days will return in 2019 and to find our more visit www.friendsofthelakedistrict.org.uk or contact ruth-kirk@fld.org.uk