A Dorset landscape full of rare orchids and butterflies that inspired Victorian writer Thomas Hardy has been named England’s newest national nature reserve.

More than 330 hectares of important habitat at Lyscombe on the Dorset Downs, the equivalent to 468 football pitches, have been marked out as an area of focus for conservation and nature restoration by the government body Natural England.

Located north of Dorchester, the landscape is home to ancient woodland and chalk grassland flora, including at least six different species of orchid such as pyramidal and bee orchids, as well as rare chalkhill blue butterflies.