THOUSANDS of people braved thunder and hail storms on Saturday to get closer to nature in Pontllanfraith.

The Go Wild! family fun day at the Sir Harold Finch Memorial Park saw around 4,000 youngsters, mums and dads get involved in hands-on activities exploring the countryside and issues around biodiversity.

Live animal displays allowed families to see wild species closer than ever before, with otters, hedgehogs, bats, owls, butterflies, moths and reptiles all on show throughout the day.

As bright morning sunshine turned to storm clouds, there were also bird box making classes, a storyteller, and the chance to get advice on beekeeping, how to make your own fertiliser, saving energy and water and creating a pond.

The theme for the event, which was organised by Caerphilly council with funding from the Valleys Regional Park Heart and Soul campaign, was biodiversity.

Council ecologist Melanie Dodd said she hoped families would have fun while learning to look after the biodiversity of their own borough, where 80 per cent of the land is classed as open countryside.

She said: “The main aim of the day is to raise awareness about biodiversity, what we get from it, and what the benefits are for our natural environment.”