AN OXFORDSHIRE river has been subject to a big clean up to improve the nearby habitats.

The project, 'Restoration at Pudlicote' was run by conservation charity Wildlife Oxfordshire who secured funding for the project in 2016.

Pudlicote lies across the river Evenlode to the north east of Ascott–under–Wychwood.

The idea of the restoration was to improve the habitats of the river and surrounding fields, focusing on the damage caused by past dredging.

The historic dredging that had been left on the river bank, were removed and the riverbed was raised using gravel and shallow riffles created to provide a better living condition for the fish and wildlife.

The group say that raising the riverbed in combination with lowering the bank should result in increased connectivity between the river and its floodplain.

The next phase involved converting the nearby 12 acres of land into wet grassland that will hold water and encourage birds.