Visitors to Chillington’s community orchard in Great Hill Wood have somewhere new to sit and take in the views.

Volunteer bench-carvers from the the Growing Orchard Communities project have designed and made a sturdy bench, carved from locally grown sweet chestnut.

Working under the expert guidance of local arboriculturalist Eddie Church, a group of villagers installed the bench in a glade in the middle of the orchard.

The durability and longevity of this wood means that the bench should be around to offer rest to weary walkers for the next thirty years or more.

The bench-making workshop is just one of many parish-run activities organised with the help of the Heritage Lottery-funded Growing Orchard Communities project in Stokenham Parish and throughout the South Hams.

Others projects include a bug house build on Stokenham Village Green with class one from Stokenham School, a sign carving day in Beeson Community Orchard, a moth safari, and a bioblitz - all culminating in the Great Apple Fayre in October.