LOCAL charity Wildlife Friendly Otley is excited to announce a new competition for the most wildlife friendly garden in the town.

A biodiversity audit of Otley that was commissioned by Otley Town Council in 2023 highlighted how vital gardens are for providing corridors and habitats for wildlife. The hope is that this competition will help improve and develop them for the benefit of the natural world.

With several categories everyone will have a chance to showcase and contribute to this great competition. The categories are as follows: best window box, backyard, garden, ginnel/cut through and best street.

Rob Tindall who is trustee at the charity said: "Gardens are a lifeline for nature. Loss of habitats has meant that we are rapidly losing our wildlife. A few simple changes in our gardens, or any other area that we may have, could make a huge difference for nature. Areas that are beneficial for wildlife look beautiful as well."

He added: "The audit that was carried out clearly showed that all these gardens, yards and ginnels provide a huge opportunity to improve the habitats for our wildlife."

Kindly sponsored by Courtyard Planters, Otley in Bloom, Otley Garden Centre and Otley Town Council the competition is open now.

The closing date for entries is the end of July. To enter please post pictures of your entry on social media with the hashtag #Otleywildlifegarden or email pictures to wildlifefriendlygarden@gmail.com.