Nature lovers are being asked to share their favourite Island walks for a new scheme aimed at encouraging tourism.

Sheppey Matters has successfully gained £9,500 from community benefit fund group Grantscape to research and designate eight country walks.

Information boards are planned to go in at different points on the routes identifying wildlife, plants, history and heritage.

Any amateur and experienced Sheppey ramblers are now being invited to say where their favourite place for a stroll is to help select the final eight.

The process of gathering information and choosing where the walks will be is going to take place over winter and into spring.

The paths must be along an existing public right of way.

The first walk will be piloted at Barton’s Point Coastal Park, off Marine Parade, Sheerness.

Mandy Shade, who runs the park, is helping to make it as attractive as possible.

She said: “I think it’s brilliant. It’s about getting people to appreciate their surroundings and their environment.”

Sheppey Matters is working with East Kent Health Walks, the RSPCA and Kent Wildlife Trust.

History group Blue Town Remembered is also involved and will be providing some of the background information.

Project co-ordinator Heather Thomas-Pugh said: “It is all part of encouraging visitors to the Island and making it a better place.

“It will hopefully demonstrate that we have some beautiful scenery and hopefully we can encourage people to come here by showing the diversity of the wildlife and history on Sheppey.”