Dragon Deborah: We must protect our treasured peat bogs from more destruction

DRAGONS' Den star Deborah Meaden has warned that peatlands one of Britain's "most prized national treasures" - are being destroyed.

- Steph Spyro

The entrepreneur, who says "nature has always been close to my heart", spoke out against the threats facing the wetland ecosystems.

Deborah, 65, said: "Wet and boggy is no longer the best description for the majority of UK peatlands, with around 80% now damaged and deteriorating.

"The burning of peatland, draining of bogs and planting of commercial forestry have all taken a toll on what should be one of our most prized national treasures."

Peatlands, also known as peat bog, are a special type of wetland covering 2.7 million hectares of the UK.