A PARISH council has expressed interest in buying part of a nearby woodland.

Last month Ribble Valley Borough asked for expressions of interest in acquiring part of The Rann Woodland in Saccary Lane near Mellor.

The owners of half of the woodland have stated their intention to sell it, but as the woodland is included on the Ribble Valley Register of Community Assets local organisations have the right to bid for the half that is for sale as a community facility.

Now Mellor Parish Council has indicated it would like to purchase the land and trees.

Now the sale of the woodland has been frozen until May 12 while it tries to put together a bid and to allow any other community organisations to prepare an offer.

They have until Thursday, December 24 to state their intentions if they wish to bid for the woodland.

If the current moratorium on sale does not produce a successful bid, the site is protected from further moratoriums on sale until May 12 2022.