THREE cheers for workers from a Ribble Valley brewery for helping to save the planet.

A group of volunteers from Samlesbury Brewery celebrated World Environment Day by swapping their usual day’s work of brewing beer to roll up their sleeves and build a new footpath at Brockholes Nature Reserve.

The United Nations-organised event raises global awareness of environmental action to protect nature and the planet Earth.

The team of Blackburn workers included brewery manager Chris I’Anson, Sem Vandecan, Christopher Holtz, John Wells, Peter Kitt, Leanne Dean, Lucy Woods, Joanne Hunter and Chris O’Connor and they participated during work hours and were still paid for their jobs.

Anne Selby, chief executive officer at The Lancashire Wildlife Trust, said: “We are grateful to AB InBev for the work they are doing on our flagship Brockholes Nature Reserve.

"We rely heavily on volunteers to carry out restoration work which is of huge benefit to the wildlife of the region.

"AB InBev’s Samlesbury team has worked on the reserve before and it is heartening to see that they care so greatly about their local environment and huge variety of wildlife that lives here.

“The footpath at Brockholes will benefit visitors of all ages giving them a better chance to get close to nature.”

Their efforts are part of a movement half the world away to make sure tropical beaches remain pristine.

SunRise Save the Beach is a global programme led by Mexican beer brand Corona to maintain beaches, coasts and other areas of natural beauty.

It started off on the Caribbean and Pacific coasts of the Americas but now includes the holiday island of Ibiza.

In 2013 volunteers from the Blackburn business dug out a pond to to create a new habitat for, among other species, great crested newts.

And last year, leading environmental organisations were invited to visit the plant for a tour and a taste, and hear how it operated in a "responsible and resource-efficient way".

Lancashire Wildlife Trust conservation officer Ben Hargreaves said: "Conservation work is a great way to get involved and understand more about the natural world on your own doorstep."

Chris I’Anson, brewery manager at AB InBev UK’s Samlesbury Brewery said: “We believe we have an important role to play to address the world’s most serious environmental challenges and we’re proud of our colleagues and partners who helped to save the beach this week.”