Herefordshire volunteers awarded for preventing light pollution

Volunteers who work to maintain Herefordshire's dark skies - helping wildlife and making for better stargazing - have been honoured with an award.

Herefordshire is one of England's least densely populated counties and has relatively low light pollution at night.

But Dark Skies Herefordshire aims to continue improving on this, and has now been recognised for its efforts.

Members of the group have been awarded the DarkSky International Bob Gent Community Leadership Award.

The team, which is backed by countryside charity Herefordshire CPRE, uses citizen science to address light pollution, something described by judges as "truly exemplary".

Founded by former county councillor Yolande Watson, Dark Skies Herefordshire works with county bodies Visit Herefordshire, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and the Wye Adapt to Climate Change Project to protect and promote Herefordshire's dark skies and to raise awareness of the light pollution problem.