PART of the cemetery of a Ryedale church will be kept a little more wild from now on to help plants and wildlife.

A sizeable area of the cemetery of All Saints church in Helmsley won’t be in use for least 15 years.

Town councillors have resolved to turn it into a conservation area, by “reducing the amount of grass cutting to once or twice a year and having it raked up to encourage wild flowers and a more diverse range of plants”.

The edges of each area will be mown to keep it tidy.

Cllr Carol Swift, chairman of the council, said: “We thought it would make it more attractive.”

Using help on management from conservation officers at the National Park Authority, the council also aim to help local biodiversity by putting up more bird boxes and planting wild flowers.

There is already one barn owl box on site.