WILD daffodils planted on the wooded bank at Swains Lane Nature Reserve, looking as if they have always been there, are just one of the pleasing signs that ongoing efforts to enhance this public amenity open space are paying off.

But recent extremely heavy rainfall has left much of the land saturated (below). Simon Ratsey, an SLNR volunteer, said: “We’ve never known the ground here to be so wet at this time of year. Wildlife will probably cope but it will be helpful if people stay out of the Lower Field until things dry up quite a lot.”

The reserve is registered with Natural England as a Local Nature Reserve and Taunton Deane Borough Council oversees its management.