Newent Town Council made its first official visit to the arboretum on Monday evening and hatched a plan to help the community make more use of the thriving ten-acre site.

Over the next year, signposts are to be erected around town to help more people discover what the mayor of Newent, Coun Fred Passant, called the largest new facility in town.

At the arboretum itself, off Bradfords Lane and Watery Lane, a new pond area is to be created within the next 12 months, to encourage more wildlife, such as dragonflies.

An information board will tell visitors about the eight species of butterfly that have already made the arboretum their home.

To fund the next stage of the development, the council will be looking into getting various grants, but it will also continue to pay the Millennium Trust around £3,000 a year to look after the 5,000 plus trees at arboretum site and by Newent Lake.

Coun Passant is keen for the community to make use of the arboretum as a picnic, games and outdoor party area and said visitors would be welcome to erect gazebos there.

He said of the arboretum: "It is excellent and doing very well. The trees, planted three years ago, vary in height but are up to around six feet tall.

"We really want to promote the arboretum, as an open space for community use."

Thousands wild flowers have been planted on the site, including wild daffodils which have long been an emblem of Newent.

Trees planted in the arboretum include pine, oak, and rowan.

Coun Passant is pleased many dog walkers are choosing to make use of the arboretum, and more pleased the majority are making use of "poop scoop" bags, provided for free by the council.

The council would welcome further sponsorship for benches and also for new trees to be planted on the developing site.