BIRDS in Bedfont Lakes Country Park have received a boost in the form of a new tern raft.

The floating platform, which is anchored to the lake bed, provides shelter for terns to nest and offers them protection from predators.

Friends of Bedfont Lakes applied to the Thames Community Foundation for funding for the new raft as previous rafts has been damaged beyond repair.

They hope it will increase the number of birds in the park, attract more visitors and improve the ecology of the area.