The Blackhead Path in Whitehead, Co Antrim, has officially been recognised as a Local Nature Reserve.

A ceremony took place earlier this week to open the site with its brand new status.

Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Cllr William McCaughey was joined by volunteers, local school children and Council representatives to mark the occasion.

Speaking at the opening, Cllr McCaughey said: "A Local Nature Reserve is a protected area of land designated by a local authority to conserve its environmental and recreational value, with the primary land use being for conservation. This site demonstrates Council's commitment to conserving and enhancing biodiversity throughout the Borough and our commitment to protecting green space for the community. This site is hugely important for environmental education and recreational enjoyment and I hope everyone will continue to enjoy this special green space for many years to come, and that wildlife will continue to thrive here."

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Dr Hilary Kirkpatrick, Chair of the Council for Nature Conservation and the Countryside (CNCC) commented: "Members enthusiastically endorsed the declaration of this site as a Local Nature Reserve by Mid and East Antrim Council. Members endorsed the importance of the site in terms of the species present and the geological interest and were particularly impressed by the level of community and volunteer support that the site had attracted.

"Local Nature Reserves provide accessible nature on a community's doorstep, and this site is great example of this, providing opportunity for health and wellbeing and giving people an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate nature."

Simon Wheeler, Friend of Blackhead Path, added: "The Friends of Blackhead Path have been working alongside Council and ecologists for the past year, surveying the site. We were pleased to see such a wide variety of bird life on and off shore including fulmar, curlew, lapwing, purple sandpiper, oystercatcher, dunlin, snipe, redshank and eider. We were also pleased to find a rare 24 spot ladybird, perhaps now only found here, as well as evidence of the Cryptic Wood White butterfly, which is a priority species. We will continue to work alongside Council and ecologists to improve the habitat on site and hope to increase the population over time."