A NEW mural - featuring longhorn cattle, cattle egrets and dragonflies - is on display at wetlands in Somerset. 

The Dragonfly Day at WWT Steart Marshes, near Bridgwater, saw vistors and experts gather at the wetlands to witness the new mural in one of the Quantock Hides. 

A designated Dragonfly Hotspot by the British Dragonfly Society, WWT Steart Marshes provides a wetland habitat for dragonflies. The site is home to 23 species of dragonfly.

During the day-long event, visitors spotted species including the Migrant Hawker, Common Hawker, Emperor, Common Darter and Common Blue damselfly.

The mural, which was painted by Alison Jacobs, captures the wetlands and grazing areas with the area's longhorn cattle, cattle egrets and dragonflies. 

Alison was helped by local people, including volunteers from My Day Care Services, who regularly clean the hides at the reserve.  The mural was created as part of the reserve’s Wetter for Waders project, funded by the Government's Species Survival Fund.  The fund was developed by Defra and its Arm's-Length Bodies.  It is being delivered by The National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with Natural England and the Environment Agency.

Visitors to the Dragonfly Day enjoyed guided walks, pond dipping and other activities.  There was an opportunity to learn more about dragonflies, including the species who live at WWT Steart Marshes and why the wetland habitat is so important to them.

The British Dragonfly Society, Recorders of the Avalon Marshes (RoAM), Somerset Otter Group and Bridgwater Blue Heritage all exhibited during the day, which took place in August.