By SUZANNE ELSWORTH

NATURE lovers in Warrington say they are devastated to learn that yet another of the town's important wildlife havens has been bulldozed.

The diggers moved in at Glazebrook's disused military camp, proposed as a Site of Importance for Nature Conservation (SINC) three weeks ago.

The land flanked by Glazebrook Lane and Bank Street was home and breeding ground to a huge variety of birds. It is the second site in recent months to go under the wheels of the bulldozers, the other being at Peel Hall, near Houghton Green, last year.

Phil Rees, of Warrington Nature Conservation Forum, said: "Everyone will have noticed the continuing decrease in the number and variety of birds, butterflies and wildflowers, with habitat loss being a major contributor. It is a further serious blow that yet another site may be lost forever.

"An immediate reaction might be that the borough council has learnt nothing from the Peel Hall episode and is not doing anything to protect Warrington's wildlife habitats, but this would be highly unfair. During the last year the borough council's nature conservation officer, Dr David Bell, with the support of Warrington Nature Conservation Forum, has secured SINC status for more than 20 sites and has plans to designate several other sites during 2001. The council should be congratulated for its achievement."

The council has little control over what happens on those areas proposed as SINCs, which have less protection than Sites of Special Scientific Interest. And he says legislation to empower local authorities is the only way to protect these green oases.

A panel is due to look at the Glazebrook site within the next few weeks to see if the damage is too great for it to be designated as a SINC.