SIX Black Welsh Mountain sheep are back on Weston's Uphill Hill Nature Reserve to help allow rare species of plant to flourish.

By grazing on the hardier grass species, rarer plants have the opportunity to grow. In this way, the animals act as perfect conservation grazers.

Posting on Facebook, a spokesperson from the Nature and Climate North Somerset team said: "Six Black Welsh Mountain sheep are back on Uphill Hill, in Weston-super-Mare, as part of our conservation grazing program for this important site.

"Uphill Hill is a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) due to the rare grass and flower species which can be found there.

"Sheep are excellent conservation grazers as they will eat a wide range of plants and can adopt to more difficult terrains.

"Winter grazing allows the sheep to eat the more hardy grass species, which allows the more rare species to flourish in the summer.

"Please remember there is no public access to the sheep enclosure and dogs should also be kept out at all times."