Cornish hedges are to be preserved thanks to a grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund Young Roots Programme.

The award will allow BTCV Cornwall to work with young people between the ages of 13 and 19 to rebuild and raise awareness of Cornish hedges.

The project, launched in February, is called Cornish Hedge Discovery Challenge and will be accredited with the Youth Achievement Awards.

The work will take place during residential weekends across Cornwall that will start in the summer and will involve young people in researching the history of Cornish hedges, documenting the differences in hedge styles between regions, and repairing existing and creating new hedges.

The project will culminate in the young people producing a giant photo mosaic of a Cornish hedge and increasing awareness amongst the public through a photo exhibition.

Emma Davenport from BTCV Cornwall said: "We are delighted that the Heritage Lottery Fund has enabled this project to go ahead. Not only will the project raise awareness of the importance of Cornish hedges but also the Youth Achievement Awards will help to develop the participants' confidence and team working skills."