A herd of goats has been released into a nature reserve to encourage exotic plants and insects.

Mungo, Midge, Elvis, Flora and Fauna will graze in 30 hectares of chalkland in New Addington, near Croydon, to keep overgrown vegetation trimmed.

Experts hope this will encourage biodiversity at Hutchinson's Bank reserve by allowing low-growing flowers and plants to sprout.

The reserve, which belongs to the London Wildlife Trust, has three types of orchid, rare plants such as kidney vetch grass and great yellow wildflowers, more than 100 species of moth and 28 butterflies. Ian Rappel, trust conservation land officer, said: "This is a really exciting project, an attempt to replicate past forms of agriculture. Goats particularly like scrub and by eating it they open up more ground for wild flowers to take root and provide more habitat for butterflies."

The animals are on loan from the Old Surrey Downs Project, which has been given £40,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund for the scheme, including fencing.

Chalkland is one of Britain's most endangered habitats and is similar to rainforests in terms of rarity and biodiversity.

• 

  Lenny Henry: 'Maybe one day we can have a black Doctor Who'

  Shortlisted at today's Evening Standard theatre awards for his role as Othello, Lenny Henry has come a long way from black and white minstrels

  ---

• 

  Spread of the Jedhead

  Jedward, voted off the X-Factor this weekend, are the most obvious proponents of the sticky-uppy look - but the style crosses boundaries of age, gender, sexuality and taste, says Nick Curtis

  ---

Sky in plot to hire students on the cheap

Sky News is currently recruiting students as reporters for its coverage of next year's general election. However, the opportunity doesn't quite seem so appealing

All stories