A herd of English longhorn cows has been allowed to roam free to help restore dune grasslands on Sefton Coast on Merseyside.

The cows moved to pastures new in Formby this winter to act as nature’s lawnmowers, grazing on plants which could become dominant or invasive.

The cattle were moved on to the site in November and will remain there until April as part of the trial between the National Trust and the Lancashire Wildlife Trust.