A herd of hardy Exmoor ponies has been released on moorland to help drive the restoration of natural habitats and boost bird numbers.

The endangered small horses have been let loose on 126 acres (51 hectares) of farmland in Horwich, Bolton, which is being restored to its natural state.

The scheme is being run by Environment Bank, a company which sells parcels of land to developers to offset the environmental impact of their construction projects.