MALVERN Hills Conservators have unveiled its latest tool for controlling vegetation on the slopes of the Hills.

The Italian-made Carerra TTR 9400 tractor was primarily designed for working on Alpine meadows but its compactness, stability and power make it ideal for the Malvern Hills.

Its first job was to help with clearance work on the historic Herefordshire Beacon, where its design means that damage from tyres in this sensitive environment will be minimised.

Paul Saunder, the Conservators' operations manager, said: "Together with the traditional method of grazing stock, we are very keen to use up-to-the-minute technology in our task of managing the hills.

"We're fortunate in having a very skilled and experienced field staff to use this machinery to its full capacity."