Dedicated team keeping island's magic alive

Volunteers aim to preserve Hilbre's legacy

- By DANNY GUTMANN

Hilbre Island, off the coast of West Kirby in Wirral

AT low tide you'll often see walkers heading out across the wet sands towards Hilbre Island.

Lying just off the Wirral coast, Hilbre Island is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and home to a colony of grey seals, as well as a huge variety of plants and birds.

But as recently as 100 years ago people called the island part of a group of three islands, along with Middle Eye and Little Eye their home. Now broadly empty, it continues to attract thousands of visitors all year round and retains its natural beauty thanks to the hard work and dedication of a small number of community groups.

According to records, Hilbre Island was first discovered more than 7,000 years ago, with many of the structures standing on it today dating back to the 1800s.

The buildings which remain on the island include a mixture of residential and utility properties, including a former Telegraph Station which opened in the 1820s and used a semaphore line (an early communication system from the 19th century) to send messages between Holyhead and Liverpool.

While the island is now owned by Wirral Council, a number of local community groups share the responsibility of making sure it is maintained to a high standard and continues to attract visitors.

As a collective, it is the Hilbre Community Land Trust Ltd, alongside the council, which oversees much of what goes on at the island.

The trust is made up of the Hilbre Bird Observatory, BADA (British Art and Design Association) and the Friends of Hilbre.