A 14-hectare (35-acre) extension of the Ness Country Park in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, has been officially opened by Northern Irish environment minister, Edwin Poots.

The Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) acquired the land in 2005 and has worked in partnership with Derry City Council (DCC) and the Rural Area Partnership in Derry (RAPID) to incorporate the extension into the existing park, which was first established in 1967. Visitors will have the chance to access walks alongside the Burntollet Rivers, which borders one of the few remaining extensive areas of ancient woodland in Northern Ireland, while a new cottage-style visitor centre has also been created.

The majority of funding for the £825,000 scheme was provided by the NIEA, which contributed an additional £600,000 on top of the cost of the land acquisition. Other sources of funding included the EU Programme for Building Sustainable Prosperity and the executive's Integrated Development Fund. Poots said: "With this Country Park NIEA provides an invaluable resource for the people of Northern Ireland to get out and enjoy the natural beauty of our countryside.

"The brand new, cottage-style Visitor Centre tells the story of the Park, its history and wildlife through a new exhibition." Derry mayor Paul Fleming added: "The Ness Country Park is set to provide an accessible facility for both locals and visitors alike to enjoy the breathtaking scenery of the area."

Image: NIEA chief executive Roy Ramsay, RAPID chair Jim McColgan, environment minister Edwin Poots and Derry mayor Paul Fleming