There are more barn owls in Lincolnshire than any other county thanks to huge conservation project that has just scooped an award.

The once dwindling numbers of barn owls has shot up by more than 300 per cent.

Two decades ago wildlife experts were seriously concerned when numbers stood at just 400 – 200 pairs – in the county.

Now that figure is 1,800 – 900 pairs.

This week the scheme that helped save the species was honoured for its spectacular success.

Wildlife campaigner and TV presenter David Bellamy has presented Operation Barn Owl volunteers with the Lincolnshire Environmental Award 2009 at a ceremony held at the Bentley Hotel in South Hykeham.

The scheme, which has been going to 21 years this year, involved planting grassland strips along drains to encourage field voles – the owl's main source of food. In addition, several hundred owl boxes were erected on poles to allow the owls to nest.

The work was carried out by Lincolnshire's drainage boards on their land, with the help of volunteers.

Bob Sheppard, volunteer barn owl advisor to the project, said: "In the 1980s the number of barn owls in the entire country was down to 3,000. Now it is 9,000 and Lincolnshire has the most.

"There are now more than 1,000 barn owls flying around Lincolnshire that started life as chicks in those boxes.

"It's a remarkable story."

For the full story see Saturday's Lincolnshire Echo.