Paddington Meadows

The site comprises almost 30 hectares of meadow grassland occupying the area to the south of Manchester Road (the A57) and to the north of the Mersey.

Rare breed longhorn cattle are grazed on the site during the summer months and they play a vital role in keeping the grass short, which in turn encourages ground nesting birds such as skylark.

The site attracts flocks of fieldfares and redwings, which feed on the berries of some of the oldest hawthorn hedges in the Cheshire area.

A major project was started in 2009 to clean up the Woolston new cut canal that runs along the northern edge of the meadows.

Invasive flora is being cut back and long-term projects are attempting to remove pollution and toxicants from the silt in the canal.