A COMMUNITY dog walk at Habberley Valley Nature Reserve in Kidderminster aims to tackle loneliness in the over-50s.

Dogs and their owners are invited to the Reconnections Big Community Dog Walk at 10am on Saturday, November 9 and the first arrivals will receive a free lead for their four-legged friends.

Meeting at the visitor centre, the walk is expected to last around an hour.

Reconnections, led by Age UK, is a project which aims to tackle loneliness in the over-50s across Worcestershire by raising awareness and bringing the community together.

Within Worcestershire, up to 35,000 older people are said to experience loneliness and 11,500 of those are chronically lonely.

Wyre Forest District Councillor Nicky Martin, cabinet member for wellbeing, said: "We are pleased to support the Reconnections Big Community Dog Walk where dog walkers from across the district will have the chance to socialise with like-minded people in beautiful surroundings.”