The chairman of Swanpool Forum hopes to use a £5,000 donation from South West Water granted after a sewer overflowed in Tregoniggie Woodland to rid Swanpool Nature Reserve of invasive species.

Pete Lochrie, chairman of Swanpool Forum, says that the nature reserve has been "choked up by non-native species" such as bamboo and Japanese knotweed because residents have been dumping their garden waste on the site.

Mr Lochrie said: "It's about purifying the nature reserve back to its old self. This is a ground that's fantastic for wildlife, it's a wonderful habitat and we don't want it spoiled.

"We'd like to discourage people from putting their garden waste in the nature reserve."

South West Water were issued a civil sanction by the government's Environment Agency after the manhole overflowed due to heavy rain in February 2016, ordering them to pay £20,000 to Cornwall Council and £5,600 to the Friends of Tregoniggie Woods as well as the £5,000 to Swanpool Forum.

Mr Lochrie added: "It's been our position as the Swanpool Forum to manage and husband the reservoir and not have it choked up by non-native species.

"Over the last few years we have cut back trees which has encouraged native reed regrowth which is very important to filter the water.

"We have had people say 'we can't see out onto the water now,' and we are sorry about that but we need to get the water as clean as possible and that's what reeds do."