A CENTURIES-OLD habitat of rare plants and wildlife is being destroyed by the dumping of river-bed waste.

Friends of Sunnyhurst Wood, Darwen, fear the dumping will thwart their long-term hope of becoming a nature reserve.

The wet woodland is defined as a priority habitat, but is slowly being destroyed by the riverbed silt, cleaned off the bottom of the wood's moat and paddling pool after the end of the wet season.

Despite the problem, the council does not have the estimated tens of thousands of pounds it would cost to remove the silt.

David Pack, Friends treasurer, said: "The problem is that council workers are dumping the silt in one of the most attractive areas of the wood and it's been going on for about a month. This area is defined by the government as one of the most protected habitats because so many different, very beautiful plants and wildlife.

"What took centuries to grow is being destroyed and this indiscriminate dumping is a tremendous problem in such a rare habitat. It's clogging up the area. This dumping could eventually ruin our chances of becoming a local nature reserve."

The government established an action plan for biodiversity in 1994 following a meeting with 300 organisations the previous year. With between 50,000 and 70,000 hectares of wet woodland in the UK, the area became a priority habitat. Special steps to protect rare forms of wildlife included making grants available to conserve the area.

Rare forms of beetle and fly have been known to live there, and it offers a breeding ground for otters. Sunnyhurst Wood wetland features rare marsh marigold, valerian and large bittercress.

Friends chairman Dennis Gillibrand said: "We have a problem not knowing what to do with the silt. Initially it was piled up by the bandstand, then the workers spread it on the paths. There's 25 to 30 tonnes of the stuff."

Dave Page, Blackburn with Darwen parks community development officer, said: "Money has to be found to take the silt off the site and that money just isn't available.

"Logic would say that if you take the silt out of the riverbed and put it on the banks, it will go straight back in. There is no easy answer."