David Bellamy praises Fylde park’s “Wildlife Wonderland

 Birds, bats and butterflies have helped the owner of a Fylde holiday park to wing his way to victory in a nationwide environmental competition organised by Professor David Bellamy.

Sunset Park in Hambleton has scooped a top gold accolade in the David Bellamy Conservation Awards, designed to celebrate the UK’s chief providers of “green holidays”.

On a special visit to Sunset last week, the world-famous botanist said that owner Michael Taylor had created “an exciting wildlife wonderland which is brimming with bio-diversity”.

As well as presenting Michael with his award, David Bellamy toured a new area of the park where planners have just given the go-ahead for a new development of environment-friendly lodges.

The twelve units are in a separate gated area of the park known as Green Meadows, and provide luxury living accommodation combined with many energy-saving and high insulation features.

All the lodges have views across the new wildlife and fishing lake built at Sunset which contributed to the park’s winning of the David Bellamy Conservation Award.

The lake, says Michael, is already becoming a magnet for resident and migratory birds, and other aquatic life – from newts to dragonflies – will be encouraged with plant, food and habitat resources.

Professor Bellamy was accompanied at Sunset by Tom Pridmore, Director of Leisure Services at Wyre Council, and Leslie Lloyd who is Chair of the Lancashire and Blackpool Tourist Board.

The party also saw some of the many other green initiatives which have been put in place at Sunset, and which ensure that the park is equally as inviting to both wildlife and human guests.

They include the planting of many indigenous trees and shrubs, and the sowing of flowers with high pollen-bearing blooms which draw a wide range of common and less familiar butterfly species.

David Bellamy also commended Sunset’s erecting of nesting boxes for bats and owls, and the use of low-level lighting which reduces light pollution and enables visitors to enjoy the night sky.

Sunset Park was acquired by Michael Taylor 35 years ago, and since then the family business has invested much time and effort into creating one of the region’s most highly-regarded holiday parks.

As well as a five-star quality rating from the tourist boards, Sunset last year scooped the silver accolade in the England for Excellence awards, placing it among the top three parks in the country.

As well as its many natural attractions, Sunset Park provides a wide range of modern facilities for guests to enjoy, including an indoor pool, spa, sauna, and nightly entertainment in summer.

Congratulating Michael on his award, David Bellamy said that he and his family could be proud that they were demonstrating how tourism and conservation could be perfect countryside partners:

"Sunset offers a fantastic outdoor experience where kids and adults can make amazing wildlife discoveries – and the park deserves full credit for what it’s doing," said Professor Bellamy.

More information about Sunset Park can be seen at www.sunsetpark.co.uk.

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Address : Sunset Park, Hambleton, Nr Blackpool FY6 9EQ