TV star Chris Packham found his favourite bird in big numbers on a trip to Warrington.

He visited Woolston Eyes for the BBC show Nature's Calendar and saw around 25 rare black-necked grebe.

The film crew had expected just one or two sightings of a bird that shuns human contact - and the results are on TV next Thursday.

The show will be based around a visit by West Midland Bird Club.

Stuart Woodman, the show's producer, said: "They recommended it to us as one of the top reserves in the north west.

"We also chose it because it's unusual because it was built by dredging the canal.

"And it's got the backdrop of the M6 which makes a stark contrast with this wildlife haven underneath it."

He added: "I think Chris has plans to take his daughter back just for general birding."

Around 220 species have been spotted at The Eyes, including one sighting of Cettis warbler, which is usually found in Africa and Southern Europe.

The black-necked grebe can be identified by its yellow ear tufts.

Woolston Eyes was created in the 1980s and is made up by a series of islands and reed beds.

The land was used for sheep grazing and was then radically altered by the building of the Manchester Ship Canal.

l Nature's Calendar featuring Woolston Eyes is on this Thursday, March 1, at 6pm on BBC2.