Plans to turn the infamous Throckmorton burial site into a nature reserve have been given the go-ahead.

Wildflowers and grass will transform the area, which was used to bury 133,000 carcases during the foot-and-mouth crisis.

The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs will mark the end of the two-year ordeal with the works, which were approved yesterday by Worcestershire County Council.

News of the plans, designed to attract a variety of small insects and birds, was well-received by locals.

"It is wonderful the whole ordeal finally seems to be coming to an end," said Worcestershire county councillor Liz Tucker, who lives in the hamlet.

"It seems to have gone on for a long time and the site has upset a lot of people. But I think most residents are now happy with the plans for its future and believe the subject is dead and buried.

"The site is not open to the public, so it is only right that it should be put to good use for nature."

The 20-hectare site at Throckmorton airfield caused great concern among local residents, who were worried at the time that there would be potential health risks as a result of the burials, including pollution of water supplies by seepage from carcases and possible diseases being carried by flies.

Defra has always denied any danger and an independent report by health experts Det Norske Veritas said the risk was negligible.

But realising the importance of this, Defra has also been granted permission to make some environmental improvements to the site.

The Government department, which has already announced that it will never bury any more animals there, wants to install a new leachate collection system to replace the present one.

Permanent pipework will be installed from the burial cells to two holding tanks located partly below ground to minimise impact. This will be more environmentally friendly and will also mean less odour will escape the site.

They are also going to install a monitoring system to make sure methane does not leak from the site.

All their actions will be recorded and made available for public viewing.

"I think this is very important indeed and it has won Defra a lot of trust," added Mrs Tucker.