ONE of Worcestershire’s best loved natural features has been shortlisted as a top countryside icon in England.
Writer, poet and musician Benjamin Zephaniah, who was born and brought up in Birmingham, nominated the Malvern Hills for the Campaign to Protect Rural England’s initiative to celebrate the English landscape.
The CPRE has published a new book called Icons of England, which includes 70 icons of the English countryside.
The Malverns now appear among 25 on a shortlist for the top spot and members of the public are now being invited to vote for their favourite.
The icons have been selected by award winning authors, journalists, photographers and film-makers including Alan Titchmarsh, Alice Temperley, Wendy Cope and Kevin Spacey. Their diverse nominations include cider orchards, canal boating, post boxes and wildflowers as well as the Malverns.
President of the CPRE Bill Bryson said: “We narrowed the icon list from 70 to 25 and we need the public to decide the most popular icon on the list.
"It’s just a fun poll, but we know there has been some rivalry by competing icon fans. Whether the Malvern Hills win is now in the hands of the voter.”
People can vote for their favourite icon by visiting cpre.org.uk
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