TRIBUTES have been paid to David Bellamy who died on Wednesday, aged 86.

The naturalist and presenter had a long and perhaps little-known relationship with Warrington.

He officially opened Risley Moss Country Park in 1980 and his image featured in the original exhibition area in the visitor centre.

And he played a vital role in saving the park 10 years later when Cheshire County Council planned to close public access to the site.

Dr Paul Speake, chairman Risley Moss Action Group, said: "The closure proposals became public knowledge at the end of 1990 and the outcry against these had become very vocal indeed by January of the following year.

"A public meeting was organised by the group of residents that eventually became Risley Moss Action Group (RIMAG).

"This was to take place in the school hall at Birchwood High School and was to be addressed by community representatives, Cheshire County Councillors and officers and other interested parties. Such was the number of local residents that attended that some 200 or so had to be turned away when the hall reached capacity.

Warrington Guardian:

Risley Moss Visitor Centre

"One of the members of the RIMAG organising committee was a freelance writer and editor and had been working with David Bellamy on some education packs for schools. He was able to contact him and ask if he could support the protest in any way.

"In the event, the Professor made a considerable diversion on his journey home from working in Cambridge, via Birchwood, on his way to County Durham in order to address the meeting on the importance of Risley Moss as a regional and national resource.

"His appearance and the publicity it generated marked a real turning point in the campaign to save Risley Moss from closure and the fact that the local nature reserve remains open today is a real legacy of his efforts."