Hundreds of acres of wetland will soon be open to nature-lovers in Gloucestershire after WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre announced they will reopen this month.

From Monday, April 12, visitors will be able to roam the outdoor areas of the wetland conservation charity centre, use the play areas and watch a range of wildlife including flamingos, kingfishers and harvest mice.

Avid birdwatchers will be allowed to visit the twelve bird hides that are dotted around the site, though there will be limited capacity.

Some indoor facilities will remain closed but kiosks will be open for takeaway drinks and snacks and so will the gift shop.

Gary Haseley-Nejrup, centre manager at WWT Slimbridge said: “We cannot wait to welcome everyone back to our stunning wetlands which are currently bursting with spring wildlife delights such as kingfishers, avocets and warblers.

“We’ve hugely missed our visitors. And we think our animals may well be looking forward to seeing some new faces.”

“As a conservation charity, we are incredibly grateful for the public’s support through these challenging times, it has meant the world to us.

“Thanks to local peoples’ and supporters’ generosity we have been able to carry on caring for our wildlife and our wetlands even when we’ve been closed.

“Re-opening Slimbridge on 12 April feels like a significant milestone towards a more secure future, and a brilliant way to thank everyone for sticking by us.”

To keep reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission, visitors will need to pre-book tickets and there will be daily limits on the number of people allowed in.

Online tickets will be available from Tuesday, April 6 on their website.