A LANCASHIRE village churchyard is to host a wildlife weekend on Friday evening and Saturday.

St John’s Church in Hurst Green will hot the two-day ‘Bio Blitz’ with the help of expert conservationists.

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust will host a series of workshops, surveys and wildlife walks around the historic parish church’s grounds.

Taking place on the evening of Friday June 8 and Saturday morning of June 9, the trust's nature experts will help people learn how to identify plants and animals found in the Ribble Valley churchyard.

They will undertake a series of nature surveys at the same time.

Organiser Clare Hyde: “The BioBlitz aims to show church congregations how their churchyards can be managed to create a biodiverse habitat, while still maintaining a respectful and peaceful graveyard.”

Part of the churchyard is a wildflower meadow, managed in partnership with Bowland Haytime Project which supplies seed and scythes annually.

Parish Priest, Rev. Canon Brian McConkey said today: " I am really happy to be the Vicar of a church with such a care for all of God's creation.

“To be able to reflect that commitment in our church grounds with events such as this is a great joy. There is wildlife for all to explore.”

The event is part of Cherishing Churchyards Week, organized nationwide by Caring for God’s Acre, a non-religious charity dedicated to conserving burial grounds.