Rising from the ashes ...lush heath back just one year after wildfire

ONE of Britain's largest heaths looks lush and green little over a year on from a huge wildfire.

- Mark Reynolds

More than 42 acres of Canford Heath in Poole, Dorset, were destroyed at the beginning of last summer.

The precious habitat for rare reptiles, heather and fauna was left scorched and blackened.

After more than a year of recovery and thanks to a very wet July, the hardy heath has sprouted a healthy growth of grass and heather.

The area is the largest lowland heath in the UK and it is recognised as an internationally important habitat as well as being a designated Site of Special Scientific Interest due to the rare reptiles living there.