Dedicated construction students from London South East Colleges’ Holly Hill campus are to build a new woodland walk at a former munitions testing site in Thamesmead.

The Tump 53 Nature Reserve dates back to the days when this area was largely uninhabited marshland and is one of the few remaining tumps originally built by the nearby Royal Arsenal to store gunpowder, encircled with blast walls and moats.

Since 2013, however, it has been used as a focal point for schools and youth groups to introduce youngsters to natural and environmental issues with the aid of the Wild About Thamesmead Campaign (WATC).

WATC were responsible for securing the initial funding for its original transformation.

The eager students will be working hard to clear away overgrown bramble and collect rubbish and debris that has accumulated over the last few years to help preserve it as a beautiful nature reserve for the local community.

The project will then lead to the construction of a new 'safe' pathway leading to a children's play area.

Jack Gower, Outdoor Education Manager for Peabody, who manage the site, has said: "It’s always encouraging to see young people volunteering to take part in such a worthwhile enterprise like this.

"I’d really like to thank the students and their tutors for taking time out of their very busy schedules to help out.

"This is just the beginning of what will surely be a fruitful partnership between Peabody and the College."

LSEC student Connor Sheppard Coombs who will be taking part in the project said: "It’s amazing how much work you can get through when you are working with such a dynamic team as ours.

"We are all up for this and each member has been specially chosen to take part.

"I’m very honoured to be amongst them and intend to prove myself and promote my abilities and drive."