The National Trust has launched an emergency appeal after a wildfire destroyed most of a conservation site in Suffolk.
Fire fighters have been tackling the blaze since it began on 29 July and grew to cover the size of 220 football pitches, including the charity’s Dunwich Heath site.
The charity said the devastation was “heartbreaking” and had left the much-loved site “scarred almost beyond recognition”.
The trust said the fire had wiped out the habitat of some of the UK’s rarest species and ruined a site that is famous for its carpet of purple heather. It welcomes more than 100,000 visitors a year.
Hilary McGrady, director-general of the National Trust, said: “We are looking at total devastation of a beloved and important landscape.
“We’ve lost precious habitats, wildlife, trees, and a place where people have made memories over generations. It’s heartbreaking.”
McGrady said that with donations the charity could restore the site and make it more resilient and better adapted for the climate now and in the future.
The neighbouring Minsmere nature reserve, run by the RSPB, has also been affected by the fire.