Pig power to restore Beacon Hill Country Park
A team of rare breed pigs have been brought in to help restore heathland at a Leicestershire beauty spot.
Eight 15-week-old Welsh pigs will be kept at Beacon Hill Country Park to help clear unwanted species such as bracken, sycamore and birch scrub.
It is expected the animals' natural foraging will turn over the soil, allowing heather and gorse to grow.
The park already has a collection of llama-like alpacas, which protect the site's sheep.
Rangers said the Welsh pig was an old rare breed which was very hardy and favoured for its management capabilities.
Chris Conway, Ranger at Beacon Hill Country Park, said: "We are delighted to welcome this unusual team of helpers to Beacon Hill.
"They are doing a great job at helping with the heathland restoration project and are a sight to behold."
Rangers intend to keep pigs at Beacon Hill, which is Leicestershire's second highest spot, for about two months.