Natural England has announced that Ely Pits and Meadows in Cambridgeshire is to be designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

It is the first site to be designated by the government's wildlife advisory organisation since it was formed in October 2006, and will join more than 4,000 SSSIs already established in England, covering 7 per cent of the country's land area. Ely Pits and Meadows is one of only eight sites in England to be awarded SSSI status due to its bittern population. The area also contains Kimmeidge Clay deposits, which have provided a number of fossil finds, including turtles, crocodiles and dinosaurs.

Shaun Thomas, Natural England's East of England director, said: "The designation of Ely Pits and Meadows SSSI ensures that the nationally important wildlife and geology of the area will be fully recognised and taken into account in the future management and uses of the site."