A GROUP which co-ordinates a variety of heritage projects in the Caradon Hill area is celebrating a 12-month extension.

The extension for the Caradon Hill Area Heritage Project (CHAHP) will enable the group to continue its work until March 2014, giving people many more opportunities to get involved with this impressive part of natural heritage.

Local residents will be able to find out more about the new projects over the next 12 months at a drop-in session on Tuesday, March 12 at St Martin's Church Hall in Liskeard between 3pm and 7pm.

The CHAHP covers approximately 25 square miles from Liskeard in the south to Golitha Falls and Siblyback Lake in the west, Sharp Tor and Bearah Tor in the north and Rilla Mill and Bicton Woods near Pensilva in the east.

This area includes parts of the Bodmin Moor Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) and one of the Cornwall and West Devon Mining Landscape World Heritage Sites.

Funding has come from Cornwall Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund's Landscape Partnership programme, Defra, the Rural Development Programme for England's Tourism and Rural Access in Cornwall programme, and from other local funding partners.

To date, more than 70 volunteers have been involved with the CHAHP, delivering a range of projects based on the themes of natural environment, historic environment, mining heritage, land management and access and interpretation, education and training.

Cllr Derris Watson, who chairs CHAHP's Project Partnership Group said: 'I am very pleased that we have been able to secure an extension to the project.

'As well as ensuring that all the physical works, which have been held up by the extreme weather, can be completed, it will mean extra time to develop the 15 local groups currently working with the project and make them better able to carry the work forward when the project does end.'

The programme so far has helped to maintain and manage different habitats, conserve prehistoric, medieval and post medieval features, repair 24 structures linked to the mining heritage, developed farm management plans, provided farmer and contractor training workshops plus local access improvements.

There have also been exhibitions, walks, local history recordings, books published and school trips.

For more information on the Caradon Hill Area Heritage Project visit http://www.caradonhill.org.uk">www.caradonhill.org.uk