A CEMENT plant has won a national restoration award for converting a former shale quarry into a nature reserve.

Lafarge Cement, working in partnership with Staffordshire Wildlife Trust, has been honoured by the Mineral Products Association (MPA) for its work at its Cauldon site.

Channel 4 broadcaster, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, and BBC Springwatch presenter and vice-president of the RSPB, Kate Humble, hosted the awards ceremony at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster.

The site now benefits from a rich diversity of habitats for wildlife, including herons, little grebes and kingfishers.

Works manager, Nicolas Maes said: "We are very pleased our restoration work has been acknowledged at a national level."

The overall winner was sister company Lafarge Aggregates for its establishment of the National Memorial Arboretum at Arlewas.