A Nottinghamshire woman has formed a close partnership with a garden worm named Walter as she drives to create healthy, cost-free compost in her garden.
Brione Slaney, from Lady Bay, described the union as her "random act of wildness" as she utilises the worm to "liberate" compost for growing plants in her garden.
It comes as part of a wildness campaign led by Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust, which aims to get inspire residents to get outdoors and enjoy nature.
The 30 Days Wild campaign wants Nottinghamshire locals to do something for wildlife or the natural environment, every day, for the thirty days of June.
And Ms Slaney, a keen gardener, has revealed how she is supporting the campaign - praising Walter the Worm and his "entourage" for helping her family "save money and be more sustainable".
"Today my random act of wildness was meeting Walter the Worm," she said.
"Not only is Walter an eco warrior in his own right, we have a partnership going on. Walter is helping us save money and be more sustainable.
"Walter lives in a compost bin in the corner of my garden. Walter and his entourage are living it up, banqueting on and recycling our fruit and vegetable peelings and scraps.
"Today I need to plant out my runner beans and some lettuce into the mini veg patch in our garden. Time to liberate the rich compost that Walter and his mates have been expertly creating over the last year."
The gardener says the partnership will allow her compost to support a healthy crop of fresh food throughout the summer.
And she is encouraging more people to get involved, utilising compost bins throughout the half term to attract more worms like Walter.
She added: "The compost will help us grow a healthy little crop and enjoy fresh salad all summer long. The best bit is that it doesn’t cost us a bean.
"So, no buying and then lugging big heavy, usually wet, plastic bags of compost from the garden centre. Plus we know it is peat free compost.
"Better to let Walter and his gang joyously indulge in a regular feast. If you don’t have a Walter living in a compost bin, then why not start this half term and let the worms move in?
"In the meantime it was lovely to meet Walter… isn’t he cuddly?"
