Ipswich Derby Road rail station has been transformed into a refuge for wildlife with 21 native wildflower species including poppy, cornflower and corn cockle now blooming.

East Suffolk Lines Community Rail Partnership, Greater Anglia, Ipswich Friends of the Earth and Ipswich Borough Council's wildlife rangers created the new habitat in September 2020 - which has bloomed this month.

East Anglian Daily Times: The wildflower patch full of new species at Derby Road rail station, IpswichThe wildflower patch full of new species at Derby Road rail station, Ipswich (Image: Greater Anglia)

Volunteer Claire Kendall said: “It was tough work preparing and sowing the area, but very enjoyable to work together on this. And seeing the results has made it all worthwhile.

"We are over the moon with how it looks and delighted that it will make a real difference to our fragile wildlife populations.

“We are really hoping that the new area will even attract East Anglia’s own local and endangered stag beetles to visit.”

Emma Black, from Ipswich Friends of the Earth, said: “We were really pleased to be involved in this pollinator patch project.

"It was great to work in partnership with everyone and we look forward to developing the area for wildlife with the local station adopters.”

Great Anglia aims to create 56 station gardens under WildEast – a nature recovery movement that aims to return 20% of the land in East Anglia back to nature by 2050.