Oliver on Friday paid a visit to the nature reserve at Hilfield Park Reservoir near Bushey.

The reservoir and its surrounding woods are home to a huge number of different birds and unique plant life. The visit included a full tour of the reserve and speaking after the visit, Oliver said: ‘It was a real pleasure to visit Hilfield Reservoir.

‘One of the great things about living in our part of Hertfordshire is the wonderful countryside we have right on our doorstep and the reservoir is a superb example of this.

‘I was glad to see so much wildlife thriving there and it is testament to the excellent work of everyone at the Wildlife Trust.

‘It’s one of a number of wonderful nature reserves we have in our area, including Merry Hill Woods, Woodcock Hill and the Fir & Pond Woods.’

Oliver was invited by the Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust and was met their by the Trust’s Chief Executive, Ms Lesley Davies, the Chairman, Mr Mike Master, and Head of Landscapes, Mr Tom Day.

Oliver added: ‘I’ve been a member of the Trust myself for years and I would urge everyone interested in preserving our area’s natural environment to get involved.’