Wildlife returning to Yorkshire moorland a year after blaze

National Trust hopes there were more survivors from Marsden fire than was feared

Short-eared owls, curlews and mountain hares have returned to Yorkshire moorland that was devastated by fire a year ago, the National Trust has said.

Rangers feared whole populations of rare animals were wiped out when about 700 hectares (1,730 acres) of peatland habitat on Marsden Moor in West Yorkshire were scorched in April 2019 in a blaze that was started by a disposable barbecue and took fire crews four days to put out.