BEARS could be returning to ancient woods in the UK for the first time in more than 1,000 years.

The £5million scheme would see European brown bears, lynx, wolves and wolverine back in woodlands on the outskirts of Bristol.

The woods are similar to those which covered Britain in the first millennium AD, said the Wild Place Project, which is behind the Bear Wood plan.

‘We are literally making history,’ said Nigel Simpson, from the project. ‘We will transport people back in time to when the woodland was inhabited by bears and take people through time showing the effects of woodland loss on our native animals. Bear Wood is about conservation of woodland.’

Five European grey wolves, already at Wild Place Project conservation park in south Gloucestershire, will be moved to the woodland near Cribbs Causeway. It covers seven-and-a-half acres and the wolves will share the fenced-off space with European brown bears.

Bristol Zoological Society, which runs the project, has already received donations from benefactors and sponsors. Christoph Schwitzer, director of conservation at the society, said: ‘We are hoping that people will be really excited and want to support us. For the first time in generations people will be able to see brown bears in their natural habitat.’

The scheme still needs £2million but could be open by next Easter.