A GROUP of eight willing volunteers spent a day transforming a woodland area at Parndon Wood, in Harlow.

The team from E.ON's Rayleigh Consumer Team built a wooden bridge to replace one that had rotted, and cleared moss and overgrown shrubs to let in more light and improve access for visitors.

Glen Mulleady, from Harlow Council, said: "The team worked incredibly hard and managed to complete the whole project in a day, staying a half-hour extra than they were asked to into the bargain.

"The work they've done has helped improve access for less abled people and encouraged biodiversity too."

Volunteer Karen Saunders said: "It was a great day. There were a number of tasks and everyone was prepared to get stuck in. There was some fun along the way too including a competition on who could hammer the nail in quickest - the ladies beat the gents of course!"

She added: "We were all very tired at the end of the day but we left with a huge sense of pride and achievement for having completed such a worthwhile project."