AN ancient wood, described as one of the town's "natural jewels", has been declared a nature reserve following a long campaign by a group of residents.

Alban Wood, in north Watford, has been made a Local Nature Reserve after it was recognised for its natural beauty and value to both people and wildlife and will now be protected for future generations to enjoy.

The area has been preserved by "Friends of Alban Wood", a group of local residents determined to protect the natural woodland from litter and vandalism.

Joyce Bonnick, 68, who lives in Valley Rise, is secretary of the Friends of Alban Wood group and has worked in the woods building bird boxes, planting hedges and litter picking.

She said: "We have been asking the council for this for five years and we are delighted. You don't want them building on it do you? There has been a wood here for hundreds of years and we want to keep it."

Watford Mayor Dorothy Thornhill unveiled on Friday two new signs on behalf of Watford Borough Council which has worked in conjunction with English Nature to protect the area.

Mayor Thornhill said: "Alban Wood is one of Watford's natural 'jewels in the crown' and in a fast urban town, general spaces and places where people can slow down and enjoy nature are getting more and more scarce and in Watford we have to look after the options. But we could not do it without the hard and dedicated work of local groups of people such as the 'Friends of Alban Woods'.