BUTTERFLIES and birds, wild flowers and squirrels - they all find a bed at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

So keen is the hospital trust to put something back into the environment that it has established its own wildlife site.

Estates manager Ted Wells said: "We rear our own butterflies - a variety of those natural to the area - and release about 150 a year.

"We also have birdboxes, visited by great tits, bluetits, woodpeckers and tree-creepers.

"And we've set up a wildlife garden at the back of the site, which in summer looks a picture with all the poppies, cornflowers, clover, campion and lots of other wild flowers.

"Wherever we can, we plant buddleia next to wards, which attracts butterflies, so the patients can enjoy them"

The hospital's environment committee is setting up a stand to publicise its work in its staff dining room during BT Environment Week, May 10-18.

But the hospital's environment initiatives do not stop at wildlife.

In a hospital with 3,500 staff and more than 800 beds, the need to be environmentally conscious is paramount.

Recycling, water and energy-saving drives and cutting waste and transport pollution will all be featured on the stand.

The committee meets every three months to discuss further improvements.

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