A POPULAR park has been given nature reserve status.

Sutcliffe Park has been made into a Local Nature Reserve by Greenwich Council.

It will now be eligible for funding from organisations such as English Nature and the National Lottery.

The park, off Eltham Road, Eltham, has been turned into a wetland by the Environment Agency.

Between 2003 and last year, the agency opened up the River Quaggy, which had been kept in an underground channel for more than 65 years, allowing it to flood the park and turn it into a wetland.

Now the 35-acre park has become a haven for wildlife including different species of dragonfly, the damselle fly, kingfisher, snipe and reed warbler.

Greenwich Council's cabinet commitee declared the park a reserve on August 8, to the delight of the Friends of Sutcliffe Park.

A Local Nature Reserve is a place with special natural interest, set up to protect nature and for people to enjoy and appreciate.

Friends of Sutcliffe Park chairman John Briggs said: "I welcome it being designated as a reserve. It secures the wildlife area of the park.

"It also gives the council access to additional funding and will encourage schools to use the site for their studies.

"It's a beautiful park and hopefully it will attract more visitors."

Cabinet member for Greener Greenwich Councillor Rajwant Sidhu said: "Sutcliffe Park is a superb example of what can be done to attract wildlife into an urban area.

"The Environment Agency has done an excellent job in creating the lake and wetland area."

He added: "Declaring the park as a reserve will enable us to build on the work already begun by the council and environmental projects with tremendous support from the Friends of Sutcliffe Park in enhancing the biodiversity in the park.

"We will also be working with the community to educate young people about the environment."