London is home for me... and this fabulous wildlife!

BURSTING at the seams with nine million people, two and half million cars and 600 square miles of urban sprawl, London may seem like the ultimate concrete jungle.

- BY JAMES RAMPTON

But in fact, our capital is far greener than you might imagine.

Boasting more than 3,000 parks, many set aside by King Henry VIII to satisfy his love of hunting four million private gardens and more than 50,000 vegetable plots, it has been granted National Park status.

An unexpectedly rich natural environment which provides a terrific haven for wildlife, London is the greenest major city in the world.

So who better to guide us around this unlikely natural haven than our most revered naturalist Sir David Attenborough. In a new documentary he explains why he is so passionate about the wildlife in the great city where he resides: “Throughout my life I've had the good fortune to travel the world witnessing many great spectacles.

“But this is the place to which I’ve always returned. A sprawling mega-city may seem like no home for a nature lover like me, but there is a wild side to London.”

The national treasure, who was born in London 99 years ago, continues: “My city is surprisingly alive with all sorts of animals and full of remarkable natural spectacles. Even in the centre of town, animals can not only survive, but flourish.

“Over the years, I’ve come to appreciate what I find on my own doorstep. So when it comes to discovering the wonders of nature, there really is no place like home.”