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Jurassic landscape declared a nature reserve by King Charles

View from Leckhampton Hill by the limestone Devil's Chimney looking out across to Gloucester. There is a thick canopy of trees below the hill, with fields further in the distance.

Leckhampton Hill, which will be known as the Cheltenham Escarpment National Nature Reserve

An area of land containing 170-million-year-old rocks has been named a National Nature Reserve, aiming to help protect the rare ecosystem and wildlife that lives there.

The Cheltenham Escarpment is now one of 15 national nature reserves, as part of a programme to establish 25 large-scale national nature reserves across England in celebration of King Charles' coronation.

The new reserve contains fossils from the Jurassic period, that have been studied by geologists for more than 200 years, Natural England said.

The protected area stretches across 60 hectares - the equivalent of 84 football pitches.

A Duke of Burgundy butterfly , which has yellow wings dotted with cream and balck and a fuzzy red body is feeding on a purple flower.PA Media

The reserve is home to the rare Duke of Burgundy butterfly

The new reserve has important limestone grassland and is home to many types of wildflower and at least 33 butterfly species, including the rare Duke of Burgundy.

It is also home to the Devil's Chimney landmark, a limestone pillar left standing by quarry workers in the 19th and early 20th centuries.

Natural England hopes the nature reserve will enable further accessibility works to be carried out.

The site sits on the Cotswold Way National Trail, a popular walking route and beauty spot, which attracts thousands of visitors each year.

Chair of Natural England Tony Juniper said: "This designation strengthens protection for our unique geological diversity and its precious habitats, creates a bigger and better-connected space for nature recovery, and offers thousands of people the chance to explore it."

He added the status of nature reserve would "strengthen protection" for the lands' "geological diversity and its precious habitats, creates a bigger and better-connected space for nature recovery, and offers thousands of people the chance to explore it".