A giant nature reserve could be created by the River Ribble at Brockholes.

The Lancashire Wildlife Trust has applied for £2.5m of funding to covert the 250 acre site, near the Tickled Trout Hotel off junction 31 of the M6, into a prime visitor attraction hosting sailing and fly fishing sports.

The sanctuary would be roughly equal in size to 92 football pitches and the charity's chiefs hope its location along one of the region's busiest motorways will make it an ideal stopping place for motorists. It will have a visitor centre, shop, cafe and educational facilities creating up to 25 jobs.

The site was used for gravel extraction during the 1990s and four large lagoons were left as a result of the site being on the Ribble floodplain.

More than 150 species of birds, many of the wading variety, have been spotted at the reserve, which is currently being considered for designation as a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

Lancashire County Council has officially recognised its importance as a County Biological Heritage Site as it has developed into a nationally important site for birds. If funding is secured from the European Objective Two and Lancashire Rural funds work could start on the two-year-long project by the autumn.

Work would involve building bird watching huts, a visitor centre, and the planting of trees.

Lancashire Wildlife Trust chief executive office Anne Selby, said: "This site will be a crucial link in the green infrastructure of the new city region and will be an important amenity for the people of Preston.

"The new nature sanctuary will attract people from far and wide."