Each year hundreds of migrating sand martins fly thousands of miles to nest on the Scunthorpe steelworks site.

Dr David Bellamy with Corus staff at
the Lincolnshire Environmental Awards

Last year, Corus was praised by the Campaign to protect Rural England for creating a sheer cliff face out of sand for the birds to nest in.

And a year on from the completion of the project, it received its second accoldae in the business category of the 2004 Lincolnshire Environmental Awards.

A spokeswoman for Corus said: "The team, headed by environment engineer, Terry Cook, helped by on-site contractor MultiServ, were honoured for their part in creating a safe habitat for the birds nesting in the sheer face of the site's olivine stockpile. Olivine is a raw material used in iron-making."

"The birds have been encouraged to avoid the site's olivine stock pile and they are now nesting in an area safe from plant operations."

"Dr David Bellamy presented the awards at a dinner at the Bentley Hotel in Lincoln."

Alan Proctor, a MultiServ plant driver, spotted the sand martins nesting in olivine needed for production, and campaigned to bring their danger to management's notice.

He said: "In developing the conservation project, Humberside INCA (Industry Nature Conservation Association) advised, Corus provided the sand and MultiServ the plant and labour."

Mr Proctor helped to build the new sand bank with a cliff face, just in time for the birds return from Africa and 150 birds moved in to breed.

Mr Proctor accepted the first prize on behalf of MultiServ and shook hands with the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire, Bridget Cracroft Eley.

He also had the opportunity to chat to Dr Bellamy.